Cargill is to invest €35 million ($37.7m) to increase its sweetener options across Europe in anticipation of the end of the European sugar quotas in October 2017.

The end of the European sugar regime lifts the production quota of glucose-fructose syrups and sugar in the European unio (EU). As a result, there will likely be a higher sugar price volatility, according to Cargill. This, it says, will indirectly impact the supply and demand of related starch product groups for the European food and beverage industry.

In anticipation of this, Cargill is investing in its facilities in Manchester, UK, Bergen op Zoom in The Netherlands and Wroclaw in Poland to produce a broader range of glucose-fructose syrups based on corn and wheat.

The investment, the company says, illustrates its ambition to be fully equipped to deal with the growing demand for sweet solutions and alternatives. "Our broad product portfolio and technical capabilities coupled with our extended network of facilities across Europe and our expertise in supply chain risk management will help customers to keep on innovating, expand their sweetness options, mitigate business risk and create value," says Alain Dufait, business director at Cargill Starches & Sweeteners.

He adds, "For the first time in decades, there is an opportunity to offer a fully flexible sweetener product portfolio ranging from full to zero calorie options to meet customers needs."