BeetKraft®
Together from beets to sheets
A Startup-Corporate Collaboration
redefining upcycled solutions
BeetKraft® is the result of an unique, three-year collaboration between Südzucker Group, one of Europe’s largest food industry corporations, and Zelfo Technology, a German technology startup pioneering in engineered bio-based fiber materials. Together, the teams co‑developed, scaled, and commercialized a novel material solution for the paper and packaging industry. The partnership exemplifies how open innovation projects of Südzucker Group can improve to the odds of success for groundbreaking solutions.
Südzucker Group sought to valorize agricultural side streams from sugar beet processing and reduce reliance on standard wood-based paper packaging materials. Generally paper is a highly performing packaging material, derived from bio-based forestry sources and with integrated recycling procedures. Until now, alternatives to virgin paper have struggled to match the required mechanical performance, structural stability, and food‑contact safety standards - barriers that have prevented broader adoption.
Zelfo and Südzucker formed a highly integrated collaboration, combining cutting‑edge material science with circular‑economy business models to co‑design and scale a new fiber technology.
Zelfo Technology contributed its patented microfibrillation technology and strong solution‑driven mindset, while Südzucker provided access to regional raw materials, scale‑up capabilities, and commercial business development expertise.
Through close, trustful cooperation and working in sprints, the mixed teams co-developed BeetKraft®, a high‑performance alternative fiber material derived from sugar beet pulp that can substitute up to 40% of conventional wood pulp in paper packaging - without compromising functionality.
Why It Worked
- Complementary strengths: Südzucker Group’s scale-up expertise and Zelfo’s innovative process technology.
- Agile development cycles, early involvement of customers and partners, and a strong learning culture accelerated progress and ensured market relevance.
- A mutually shared vision & ambition to develop a novel circular economy solution.
- Winning formula: Open innovation collaboration built on shared principles and values.
Impact
- Development of a new, high‑performance, regionally sourced, food‑safe packaging material.
- A new approach that redefining how agricultural side streams can be upcycled.
- Project scaled-up on industrial demonstration scale including first industrial volumes in commercialisation.
