Brenntag and Royal Avebe extend starch distribution partnership to North America

Brenntag Specialties is expanding its collaboration with Royal Avebe into the US, supplying potato starch and derivatives to the North American food and nutrition market for the first time. 

The strategic move builds on an existing European agreement between the two companies, originally launched in 2023 in Turkey and later extended to Benelux, Nordic, and Baltic countries. Royal Avebe, a Dutch farmer cooperative, is known for its portfolio of plant-based potato ingredients used in food, feed, and industrial applications.

“This collaboration enables us to meet consumer demands for premium quality ingredients, while driving our shared vision of a more sustainable and nutritious future,” says Kevin Hack, regional president for Nutrition North America at Brenntag Specialties.

The agreement allows Brenntag to broaden its reach with clean-label, plant-based starches and proteins—ingredients increasingly in demand across bakery, dairy, meat alternatives, and confectionery segments.

“Our partnership with Avebe signifies an exciting expansion of our global reach,” notes Eric Laramee, director IMM Nutrition North America at Brenntag. “We are strengthening our global footprint while offering innovative solutions tailored to customer needs.”

From Avebe’s perspective, the tie-up marks a significant step in bringing its ingredients closer to customers in the US. Goos Wierbos, global business lead for food at Royal Avebe, emphasized the value of Brenntag’s local network and technical support.

“Together, we're making it easier than ever for food producers and manufacturers to innovate with confidence,” he says.

Joe Lombardi, sales director for food Americas at Royal Avebe, adds that the new setup improves the company’s ability to serve specialized segments: “With our tailored solutions in functional proteins and specialty starches, we bring added value and next-level ingredient expertise.”