Sucro Limited announced plans to construct a new cane sugar refinery in the Greater Chicago Area to address the growing and underserved U.S. sugar market. Once complete, the new refinery will have a similar scale to the Company's Lackawanna facility in Western New York. The new refinery will have significant value-added specialty sugar capabilities, including large grain crystals used in specialty foods and confectionery, an integrated brown sugar line, specialty liquid production and organic sugar refining capabilities.

Start-up and initial production are expected in 2026. The Chicago refinery will leverage Sucro's existing property and sugar processing infrastructure at University Park, Illinois. The location represents the most inland cane sugar refinery in the U.S. with the capability to serve food processors and manufacturers in the Midwest with a more efficient supply of refined cane sugar and specialty sugars.

Expect to fund the equity portion of the facility's construction costs using internally generated cashflows. The Chicago asset will have fully integrated logistics infrastructure, including inbound and outbound rail and on-road transport capabilities. The new refinery is expected to have 75 full-time equivalent manufacturing and administration positions once completed.

Sucro is a minority-certified company and through its partner, Amerikoa, supports the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that sponsors veteran homeless shelters, and hires local veterans.