Can Primient’s Plant-Based Energy Plan Cut Carbon Emissions?

The World Economic Forum (WEF) says switching to plant-based diets could prevent the loss of thousands of wildlife species.

Rising demand for low-cost food, however, puts pressure on farmers to use intensive methods that strain energy, land and water resources.

Primient, a producer of food and industrial ingredients from plant-based, renewable sources, is advancing solutions that reduce environmental impact while improving operational efficiency.

Founded in 1906 by A E Staley, the company now applies modern science and technology to sustainable agriculture and low-carbon manufacturing.

Reducing carbon and improving agricultural energy use

Primient's four business pillars are safety, excellence, integrity and growth, with safety covering quality and environmental care, excellence applying across the business, integrity guiding internal collaboration and growth covering people, company scale and facilities.

Primient has achieved a 30% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions since 2019, targeting 2030 to meet its science-based 1.5°C goal.

This cut reflects lower direct energy use and cleaner purchased energy, aligning with wider decarbonisation in agricultural supply chains.

Since 2018, it has partnered with Truterra to promote regenerative farming through farmer education and outreach.

The partnership supports incentives for no-till planting and cover crops, both reducing soil disturbance and improving carbon retention.

In 2024, the company reported 8,600 tonnes of carbon reduced and removed from these interventions.

The same year, it funded regenerative agriculture programmes across 20,000 acres in its corn supply shed during the growing season.

This funding enabled data collection on water quality and carbon metrics, both of which are critical for tracking environmental and energy efficiency impacts.

“This year, we focused on ensuring our programs are making an impact and decreasing risk within our value chain," says Laura Kowalski, Head of Global Sustainability and Marketing at Primient.

“I am proud of the difference we’re making and believe we will continue to demonstrate meaningful change for years to come.

“Despite a dynamic global environment, Primient’s growth strategy remains rooted in sustainability. 

“We are honoured and prepared to continue helping our customers meet their sustainability ambitions and drive shared value for years to come.”

Jim Stutelberg, CEO of Primient, says: "Our sustainability record is industry leading. We feel confident that our focus areas are the right ones to help drive excellence within our plants and in our supply chain.

"We are making progress toward our science based targets and continuing to invest in our agricultural footprint.

"Many of our customers have bold sustainability ambitions and we are well positioned to help them achieve their goals."

Building a sustainable and inclusive supply chain

Primient aims for zero deforestation in its supply chain by 2050.

As part of this, the company has started a partnership with Sustainea Bioglycols to supply corn syrup feedstock for conversion into bio-based monoethylene glycol (bio-MEG).

Bio-MEG is a plant-based substitute for petroleum-derived chemicals, with around half the carbon footprint of the conventional version.

It is used in products including beverage bottles, food packaging, apparel, footwear and antifreeze.

The co-location of the two companies’ facilities allows for optimised manufacturing rates and removes the need for truck transport, lowering energy use and related emissions.

One of Primient’s operational energy efficiencies comes from natural gas-powered combined heat and power (CHP) units at its corn wet mills.

CHP generates electricity and heat from the same fuel source, reducing total energy losses compared to separate generation.

"With sustainability at the core of our go-to-market strategy, we feel confident that Primient is the right partner to provide a low-carbon dextrose for our bio-MEG manufacturing process," says Gustavo Sergi, CEO of Sustainea Bioglycols.

"Primient has proven to be collaborative, reliable and data-driven, all assets that will position Sustainea to make an impact in the market both locally and globally."