We are a “molasses alliance”

We are a group of the European industries using molasses and other agricultural ingredients to produce food and animal feed. We represent companies employing around 3 million people across the EU.

We believe that molasses should primarily be used for food and animal feed. That’s why we oppose the Commission’s proposal to favour the use of molasses in biofuels at the expense of human and animal nutrition.

We believe that the EU renewable energy policy should be in line with circular economy. That’s why the EU should not use blending targets as a way to displace resources from high added value uses to biofuels.

We believe that EU policy should prevent  market distortions and that it should ensure a level playing field: all actors should have access to agricultural resources at the same conditions. The use of molasses for biofuels should not be favoured over food and feed.

We support the development of truly advanced biofuels, which come from waste and residues with no significant alternative uses and which are available in sufficient quantities. The EU policy on advanced biofuels should not become a way to divert feedstocks from food and feed to biofuels.

We created this website to provide fact-based information about this issue to explain how important it is to prevent the diversion of valuable food and feed materials, such as molasses, to biofuels.

This goal is supported by the following organisations:

Confederation of European Yeast Producers (Cofalec)

COFALEC is the confederation of yeast producers that represents the EU yeast industry in Europe. With 33 factories scattered through the European Union, one million ton of yeast produced each year and more than 30% of the production exported outside Europe, the yeast industry is an important player of the European food industry. Yeast is a natural living micro-organism used in traditional fermented products (bread, wine, beer) and more recently in human and animal health (probiotics).

For more information, please visit Cofalec’s website

The European Fermentation Group (EFG)

The European Fermentation Group is the voice of the European fermentation industry vis-à-vis EU institutions, national governments, and civil society. The main objective of the EFG is to ensure that EU policies promote the competitiveness of the fermentation industry contributing to the development of a sustainable European bioeconomy. Our companies mainly produce citric acid, lactic acid, vitamins, amino acids for animal feed and penicillin for antibiotics.

For more information, please visit the European Fermentation Group’s website.

The Brewers of Europe

Based in Brussels, The Brewers of Europe brings together national brewers’ associations from 29 European Member countries and provides a voice to represent the united interests of Europe’s 7500 breweries. The Brewers of Europe promotes the positive role played by beer and the brewing sector in Europe and advocates the creation of the right conditions to allow brewers to continue to freely, cost-effectively and responsibly brew and market beer across Europe.

For more information, please visit The Brewers of Europe’s website.

International Association of Plant Bakers (AIBI)

The International Association of Plant Bakeries was founded in Paris in 1956. At present, 16 national member organizations are affiliated to AIBI. The association’s headquarters have been set up in Brussels Grand Place since the beginning of 2011. The markets for bread and pastry products have become more integrated over the years and the AIBI must take this development into account. AIBI holds contacts to key Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission services. The association’s presence in Brussels also facilitates the collaboration with other chain partner associations located here.

For more information, please visit AIBI’s website.

European Feed Manufacturer’s Federation (FEFAC)

The European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) was founded in 1959 by five national compound feed associations from France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.

FEFAC membership today consists of 24 national associations in 23 EU Member States as full members as well as Associations in Switzerland, Turkey, Norway, Serbia and Russia with observer/associate member status. The European compound feed industry employs over 100,000 persons on app. 3,500 production sites often in rural areas, which offer few employment opportunities. Farm animals in the EU-28 consume an estimated 480 million tonnes of feed a year, of which about 30% are produced by the compound feed manufacturers. Turnover of the European compound feed industry is estimated at 50 billion €. FEFAC is the only independent spokesman of the European Compound Feed Industry at the level of the European Institutions. FEFAC holds observer status in CODEX Alimentarius.

For more information, please visit FEFAC’s website.

European Former Foodstuff Processors Association (EFFPA)

The European Former Foodstuff Processors Association was established in January 2014 and represents 4 national associations (UK, NL, DE, FR), 3 full member companies (BE, IT, ES), 2 associate member companies (CA, US) and 2 observer companies (DK, GR). EFFPA estimates approximately 3.5 million tonnes of former foodstuffs annually are processed into animal feed in the EU with a sector turnover of over € 1 billion for 2020. EFFPA strives to strengthen the position of the Former Foodstuff Processing industry as a responsible partner in the food and feed chain, advocating the contribution the sector makes to the circular economy.

For more information, please visit EFFPA’s website.

Association of Chocolate, Biscuits and Confectionery Industries of Europe (CAOBISCO)

CAOBISCO is the Association of Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery Industries of Europe.
Our mission is:

  • to support our member companies’ freedom to market their products in a flexible and responsible manner and;
  • to support the development of an innovative, sustainable, competitive and creative chocolate, biscuit and confectionery industry in Europe that represents the values of our member companies.

With 15 member National Associations as well as direct member companies and affiliated members, CAOBISCO is the voice of more than 12.700 European chocolate, biscuit and confectionery manufacturers all over Europe.

For more information on CAOBISCO, please visit CAOBISCO’s website.

Committee of European Sugar Users (CIUS)

CIUS represents the European sugar-using food and beverage industries with more than 15 000 companies across Europe. Members range from artisan, small-and medium sized enterprises to large multinationals. CIUS members purchase and use almost 70% of the European annual consumption of sugar through its incorporation in a wide variety of added-value products and provide direct employment for over 700,000 people.

For more information, please visit CIUS website.

European Confederation of National Bakery and Confectionery Organizations (CEBP)

CEBP is the craft association of the national Bakery and Confectionery Associations in the EU member states. CEBP represents more than 190,000 small and medium-sized enterprises with more than 2 million employees in Europe.

One of our main tasks is to inform and convince the European Administration and the European Parliament about the local and regional importance of small and medium-sized enterprises through our interlocutors. The object is to reduce the endless number of regulations coming from the EU pushing small and medium-sized enterprises out of the food market. Furthermore, CEBP focuses on special tasks such as the hygiene law, the complete food law etc.

For more information, please visit CEBP’s website

European Association for Specialty Yeast Products (EURASYP)

The European Association for Specialty Yeast Products (EURASYP) represents the political and economic interests of the leading producers of Specialty Yeast Products in Europe and its Associate Members.

The Association’s main focus lies on the:

  • Dissemination of information to the public in order to strengthen the awareness of specialty yeast products – including yeast extract as an ingredient in a wide variety of products and dishes.
  • Cooperation with experts and scientists in order to provide stakeholders and the public with detailed background information on specialty yeast products.
  • Information and cooperation with relevant stakeholders, e.g. associations and organisations.
  • Evaluation and support of regulatory processes.

For further information: https://yeastextract.info/

 

Federation of European Manufacturers and Suppliers of ingredients to the Bakery, Confectionery and Patisserie Industries (Fedima)

Fedima is the European federation of manufacturers and suppliers of ingredients to the bakery, confectionery and patisserie industries, representing the interests of more than 24,000 direct employees across Europe. Its members are national associations in 13 European countries and represent around 200 companies across Europe.

For more information, please visit Fedima’s website: www.fedima.org.