Sucro's Sweet Strategy: Remaking Caribbean Sugar with Old Parts & New Tech

CORAL GABLES, FL – December 10, 2025 – In a bold move that redefines industrial expansion, integrated sugar refiner Sucro Limited has unveiled a multi-faceted strategy poised to disrupt the Caribbean sugar market and establish a new paradigm for monetizing operational expertise. The company announced a joint venture to construct a major sugar refinery in Guyana, a project uniquely capitalized by the relocation of an entire existing refinery from Canada, and the simultaneous launch of a new engineering services division to commercialize its proprietary technology.

This trifecta of initiatives signals a significant evolution for the Florida-based company, moving it beyond traditional production and into the realm of technology licensing and turn-key industrial solutions. It’s a calculated play that tackles regional supply chain vulnerabilities while transforming an internal capability into a powerful new revenue stream.

A Caribbean Gambit to Reshape Regional Supply

At the heart of Sucro's announcement is the formation of Demerara Sugar Refinery Inc. (DSR), a joint venture with GAICO Construction & General Services Inc., a prominent Guyanese contractor. The partnership aims to build and operate a US$20 million white sugar refinery in Wales, Guyana. While Sucro will hold a minority 15% stake, its strategic influence is paramount, providing engineering, raw sugar supply, and marketing for the entire output.

The move directly targets a glaring inefficiency in the Caribbean market. CARICOM nations collectively consume nearly 300,000 tonnes of sugar annually but are forced to import approximately 200,000 tonnes from outside the region, creating a significant economic drain and supply chain dependency. Guyana itself, despite its history as a major sugar producer, has seen production from its state-owned entity, GuySuCo, decline sharply, making it a net importer of the refined white sugar needed for its food and beverage industries.

"Guyana provides an ideal second cane sugar refining platform for Sucro within the CARICOM region, that will enable Sucro... to deliver reliable, value-added refined sugar supplies and further reduce the need for imports," said Jonathan Taylor, Founder & CEO of Sucro, in a statement.

The choice of partner is critical. GAICO is not merely a financial backer; it is a deeply entrenched local powerhouse with extensive experience in civil works, marine logistics, and infrastructure. The new refinery will be built on GAICO's existing wharf, a crucial logistical advantage. This partnership combines Sucro's specialized refining knowledge with GAICO's on-the-ground execution capability, mitigating many of the risks associated with new market entry.

The Sustainable Second Life of an Industrial Plant

Perhaps the most innovative aspect of the Guyana project is how it will be built. Instead of procuring all-new equipment, Sucro will decommission, sell, and relocate its entire operating refinery from Hamilton, Ontario, to the DSR joint venture. This plant, which Sucro is replacing with a newer, larger facility in Canada, will find a second life in South America.

This strategy is a masterclass in capital efficiency and sustainable industrial development. By reusing a proven, fully operational plant, the joint venture dramatically reduces capital costs and construction timelines. The press release highlights the expectation for a "rapid and capital-efficient start-up," leveraging the fact that the machinery is already a known, functioning system.

This approach embodies circular economy principles on an industrial scale, challenging the conventional wisdom that new facilities must be built from the ground up. While the logistics of dismantling, transporting, and reassembling a complex refinery are formidable, Sucro is betting on its deep internal experience. The company has built or developed multiple refineries in recent years, giving it the unique expertise required to manage such a complex undertaking. This move not only provides the Guyana project with a cost-effective foundation but also serves as a powerful proof-of-concept for the company’s new engineering arm.

From Operator to Innovator: Monetizing Expertise

The third and arguably most transformative pillar of Sucro's announcement is the launch of Sucro Engineering Services (SES). This new business unit formalizes the company's decade of in-house refinery design, construction, and operational experience into a commercial, turn-key offering for third-party clients.

SES will deploy SucroZone®, the company's proprietary, patent-pending sugar processing technology that has reportedly delivered "impressive improvements" in its own facilities. The division will be led by company veteran Kamran Siddiqi, an engineer who has overseen the construction of four cane sugar refineries in just seven years.

This marks a pivotal shift in Sucro's business model. The company is no longer just a user of technology; it is now a seller of it. By packaging its hard-won intellectual property and practical know-how, Sucro is creating a high-margin services business that leverages its core operational strengths. The move from an internal cost center to an external revenue generator is a strategic play seen in many of today’s most innovative industrial companies.

The immediate market validation for this venture is striking. According to Mr. Siddiqi, SES is launching with a "firm order backlog extending through much of 2026." This pre-launch demand indicates a significant appetite within the industry for the kind of capital-efficient, technologically advanced solutions that Sucro has perfected internally. The Guyana project itself will become a living showroom for SES's capabilities, demonstrating its ability to deliver complex projects efficiently.

Taken together, these initiatives represent more than just growth; they represent a strategic reinvention. By tackling a clear market need in the Caribbean with a uniquely sustainable and capital-efficient project, Sucro is creating the perfect case study for the very services it now intends to sell to the world. This integrated strategy positions Sucro not just as a refiner, but as an architect of the global sugar industry's future.