Reserve, Louisiana, April 8 — Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC (LSR) will break ground for its new million-ton-per-year sugar refinery at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 15, at the facility site adjacent to Cargill's 200-acre riverfront complex in Reserve, La.
Traditional shovels will be scrapped in favor of oversized “sugar spoons” in a style popular in the late 1800s. The Eddie Veach Quintet will entertain before and after the event, and snacks made with Louisiana cane sugar will be served. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is among the invited guests, along with hundreds of Louisiana sugar cane farmers and the St. John’s Parish Sugar Queen, Kristen Hoover.
LSR is a joint venture between Cargill and Sugar Growers And Refiners, Inc. (SUGAR), an agricultural cooperative of about 700 growers and seven member cane mills. LSR marries Cargill’s 140 years of food industry expertise with the Louisiana farmer’s 200 years of collective wisdom in growing and milling sugar cane.
LSR expects construction to take about 24 months, with commercial production beginning in the first half of 2010.
About Cargill
Cargill is an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With 158,000 employees in 66 countries, the company is committed to using its knowledge and experience to collaborate with customers to help them succeed.
About Sugar Growers And Refiners, Inc. (SUGAR)
SUGAR is a Louisiana marketing cooperative representing eight sugar cane mills and approximately 700 growers in the marketing of raw sugar and molasses to customers. It markets about 800,000 tons of raw sugar annually.