Saint-Apollinaire / FR. (egg) As 2023 gets off to a start, construction work for Eurogerm’s new sourdough bio-fermentation plant is underway in the Dijon-Bourgogne Ecoparc in Saint- Apollinaire, on the outskirts of Dijon. The plant represents an investment of EUR 21 million, including EUR 1.8 million in funding from the France Relance recovery fund. The plant will be operational in the first quarter of 2024.
A specialist in breadmaking ingredients and solutions, and member of Grand Défi Ferments du Futur (a public fund for developing fermenting agents and fermented products), Eurogerm believes its future growth lies in France and, more specifically, in the research and production of innovative fermented ingredients: a strategic project for both the group and its customers.
A research centre and two bio-fermentation units
As of 2022, Eurogerm has its own 600 square metres research centre in the form of the Eurogerm Technological Innovation Center (ETIC), and is now launching a pilot workshop for sourdoughs that will be produced in March 2023 on the same site in Quetigny. This facility will enable sourdough to be tested on a pre- industrial scale, providing a bespoke demonstration and co-development tool for the group’s customers. Due to be operational in 2024, the bio-fermentation plant will be dedicated to the production of 100 percent French sourdough. Construction work for the building, with its surface area of 3,650 square metres on a 13,000 square metres plot of land, began in January 2023. The plant will open next year, in time for the group’s 35th birthday, with initial production forecasts of 400 tonnes of sourdough per year, gradually rising to a production capacity of 1,000 tonnes every year. In time, sourdough production at the facility will be accompanied by other innovative fermented ingredients.
A range of 100 percent French sourdough
The new Eurogerm plant represents a real strategic asset for the group’s growth. It will enable Eurogerm to fulfil demand from its customers and meet their expectations in terms of quality and provenance, in particular those linked to «CRC» certification (Sustainably Controlled Agriculture). Complementing the existing sourdough range, this innovative new range will bolster our selection of signature ingredients for stakeholders in the milling, bakery-patisserie and food industries.
France Relance tender winner in the «Reshoring» category
Supported by France Relance, the project received EUR 1.8 million in state subsidies towards the cost of the ETIC research centre and the plant. In terms of jobs, ETIC has created over ten new vacancies. As for the new plant, it will generate around 15 opportunities for direct employment.
A sustainable, responsible project
Designed to comply with the group’s values and CSR promises, this socially conscious project presents a number of challenges and opportunities for people who care, and who make a difference. Fully committed to diversity, ethics, and inclusion, Eurogerm is constantly cultivating well-being in the workplace, and looking for employees who embody these values, as well as those of excellence, collaboration, teamwork, and customer service.
A sustainable project, it forms part of our Eurogerm’s strategy to significantly reduce its carbon footprint. This has been factored into both the construction of the new plant and its everyday operations, rising to the challenges of health, safety, and sustainable production.
In the words of Jean-François Honoré, president of France’s Eurogerm Group, «With this bio-fermentation plant, we are taking the leap to become an ingredients producer. This is a strategic evolution for our own growth, and to support our customers in their innovation processes» (Photos: Eurogerm).
