01
Wash & slice
Harvested roots arrive at the factory, where soil and stones are washed off. The clean beet is then cut into thin strips called cossettes, which expose as much of the root as possible.
THE BEET DIFFERENCE
Understanding sugar beet processing.
How sugar beet differs from sugarcane and how sugar is extracted from the harvested root.
ROOT VS STALK
Sugar stored in the root.
Sugar beet stores sucrose in its root. Sugarcane stores it in its stalk. Once refined, both give the same sucrose. Choosing beet is about the crop and the way it is grown and processed, not about making a different kind of sugar.
Beet is grown for sugar in temperate regions around the world, and roughly a fifth of the world's sugar comes from it. It fits well into crop rotations, and processing it yields useful co-products such as beet pulp and molasses.
Like any crop, beet does best when it is matched to the right place. Harvest timing, water needs and yields depend on the variety, the local climate and good farming practice. That is why local knowledge of the land and the season matters so much to us.
SIDE BY SIDE
Sugar beet and sugarcane compared.
| What changes | Sugar beet | Sugarcane |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-bearing part | Root | Stalk |
| Typical growing environment | Temperate regions | Tropical and subtropical regions |
| Farming system | Can be a rotation crop | Often harvested over successive ratoon cycles |
| Processing co-products | Beet pulp and molasses | Bagasse and molasses |
| Refined sugar | Sucrose | Sucrose |
FROM ROOT TO CRYSTAL
The beet sugar processing stages.
An overview of conventional beet sugar processing.
02
Extract
The cossettes pass through hot water, which draws the sugar out of the beet. What remains is beet pulp, which is pressed and dried for animal feed.
03
Purify & concentrate
The sugary juice is cleaned to remove impurities. Water is then evaporated off until the juice becomes a thick syrup.
04
Crystallise
The syrup is boiled further until sugar crystals form. The crystals are separated from the remaining molasses, then dried, cooled and packed.
Further reading: British Sugar — beet sugar production and research on sugar beet crop rotations. The steps above describe the conventional beet sugar process.
QUESTIONS
Sugar beet, answered.
Common questions about beet sugar and how it compares with the sugar Kenyans already know.
- Is beet sugar the same as cane sugar?
- Once refined, yes. Both are sucrose, and white sugar from beet and white sugar from cane behave the same way in tea, cooking and baking. The difference is the plant the sugar comes from and how that plant is grown.
- Does it taste different?
- Refined beet sugar has the same clean sweetness people expect from white sugar. In everyday use, most people cannot tell the two apart.
- Why grow sugar beet in Kenya?
- Sugarcane grows best in warm lowland areas. Sugar beet suits cooler conditions, which makes it a good fit for highland counties like Nyandarua where cane is not practical. It gives highland farmers a new crop and adds to Kenya's local sugar supply.
- What happens to the rest of the beet?
- Very little is wasted. The pulp left after extraction is a nutritious feed for livestock, especially dairy cattle. Molasses, separated during crystallisation, can be used in animal feed and fermentation. Beet tops left in the field can be ploughed back into the soil.
- How long does sugar beet take to grow?
- Sugar beet is a seasonal crop that is usually harvested several months after planting. The exact timing depends on the variety, the weather and how the crop is managed.
- I'm a farmer. Can I grow sugar beet?
- If you farm in or near Nyandarua and are interested in sugar beet, we would like to hear from you. Call or email our team at Sukari House to talk about it.
LET’S CONNECT
Contact our team.
For enquiries about sugar beet processing, cultivation or business partnerships, contact our team at Sukari House.