What Sudstarke does

Südstärke GmbH is a Bavarian cooperative-structured manufacturer of native and modified potato starches, headquartered in Schrobenhausen with a second production site in Sünching. The company processes approximately 600,000 tons of potatoes per year, sourced from around 1,400 contract farmers (Vertragslandwirte) who collectively own the enterprise. Founded from the merger of two predecessor factories in 1981, with roots going back to 1916, the business employs roughly 260 staff across both sites.

The product portfolio centers on native potato starch, extended through three modification technology platforms: pre-gelatinization at Sünching, producing cold-water-soluble starches that eliminate the need for customer-side boiling; wet chemical modification at Schrobenhausen, producing starches engineered for paper tensile strength; and dry modification at Schrobenhausen, producing dextrins and low-density clean-label starches for ready-to-eat food applications. The portfolio also includes a line of specialty starches (Aero-Myl, Eskugel, Spezialstärke series) and co-products such as potato protein and potato pulp for animal feed. Multiple certifications (ISO 9001, 14001, 50001, IFS Food, HALAL, Kosher, QS) cover both sites and underpin access to regulated and certificate-driven end-markets.

The business operates a B2B direct sales model, selling on a quote basis to enterprise customers across four horizontal segments: food manufacturing, paper manufacturing, chemical industry converters (adhesives, binders, coatings, textile finishings), and animal feed producers. Distribution is regional/European via direct sales, supported by a basic digital presence (corporate website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) and downloadable bilingual marketing collateral. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held as a GmbH with no external private equity, no public listing, and no recent funding, M&A, or restructuring activity on record.

Name

Sudstarke

Legal name

Südstärke GmbH

Website

https://suedstaerke.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Südstärke GmbH is a Bavarian cooperative-owned manufacturer of native and modified potato starches, serving food, paper, chemical, and animal feed industries from two Bavarian production sites processing 600,000 tons of potatoes annually with approximately 260 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Starch Manufacturing

NAICS

Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Modified Food Starches (Acetylated, Crosslinked, Pregelatinized, Dextrins) (AFAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Native Starches & Flours (Corn, Potato, Tapioca, Wheat, Rice) (AFAJABAB), Starch-Based Thickeners (Native & Modified Starches, Dextrins) (AFAJAMAA), Starch Processing & Sweetener Enzymes (AFAJAIAE)

Keywords

• Potato starch production
• Modified starch derivatives
• Industrial starch ingredients
• Food grade starch
• Animal feed proteins

Headquarters

HQ city

Schrobenhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Potato Starch Sales: Manufacturing and direct sales of native potato starch to food, paper, chemical, and feed industries
2. Modified Starch Derivatives: Further processing of potato starch into derivatives including pre-gelatinized starch, wet-modified starch, and dry-modified starch products tailored for specific customer applications
3. By-products (Potato Protein and Pulp): Sale of potato protein and potato pulp for animal feed applications

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Südstärke manufactures and directly sells native potato starch and a range of starch derivatives (pre-gelatinized, wet-modified, and dry-modified starches) produced at two Bavarian sites in Schrobenhausen and Sünching. The company also sells co-products potato protein and potato pulp to food, paper, chemical, and animal feed manufacturers, using non-GMO starch potatoes sourced from approximately 1,400 contract farmers under a cooperative ownership structure.

Product overview

Südstärke GmbH is a potato starch and starch derivative manufacturer operating two production sites in Schrobenhausen and Sünching, Bavaria. Its core product is native potato starch (Kartoffelstärke) produced from non-GMO starch potatoes sourced from approximately 1,400 contract farmers. This native starch serves as the foundation for an extensive portfolio of derived products: at the Sünching site, native starch is further processed into pre-gelatinized (cold-water-soluble) starch; at the Schrobenhausen site, it undergoes wet chemical modification for paper-strength applications and dry modification yielding dextrins and low-density clean-label starches for food applications. The company also markets co-products including potato protein and potato pulp for animal feed. The product portfolio includes both commodity food-grade and technical starches alongside a range of named specialty starches (e.g., Aero-Myl, Eskugel, Spezialstärke series) with Kosher and Halal certifications. Clean label starches are positioned as functional alternatives to chemically modified starches for food manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Toffena: A recipe booklet/product line featuring recipes using Südstärke starch products.

Products and services

• Native Potato Starch (Kartoffelstärke) Native potato starch produced from non-GMO starch potatoes, allergen-free and GMO-free, used in food formulations for its high purity, neutral taste, odor, and color.
• Pre-gelatinized Starch (Quellstärke) Pre-gelatinized starch produced at the Sünching site that becomes cold-water soluble and does not require boiling for gel formation during customer application.
• Wet-modified Starch (Nassderivat) Chemically modified starch produced at the Schrobenhausen wet modification plant, providing properties such as increased tensile strength for paper applications.
• Dry-modified Starch and Dextrins (Trockenderivat) Dry-modified starches and dextrins produced at the Schrobenhausen dry derivatization plant, including low-density clean-label starches used by brand owners in ready-to-eat meals.
• Potato Protein (Kartoffeleiweiß) Potato protein produced as a co-product of starch processing, used in animal feed formulations.
• Potato Pulp (Kartoffelpülpe) Potato pulp, a co-product of starch processing, used in animal feed for pet food, pig feed mixes, and direct feed for ruminants.
• Clean Label Starches (Clean Label Stärken) Functional clean-label starches serving as alternatives to chemically modified starches, meeting modern consumer demand for simple and transparent ingredient labels.
• Specialty Starches (Aero-Myl, Eskugel, Spezialstärke series) Named specialty starch products including Aero-Myl 33, Aero-Myl 115, Eskugel 192, Eskugel 1605 F, and the Spezialstärke series (6007, 6490, V23, 6543, 6750N), all certified Kosher for specific industrial applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processes 600,000 tons of potatoes annually from 1,400 contract farmers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Universities and Research InstitutessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSüdstärke maintains an innovation department and has numerous cooperation agreements with universities and academic institutions for R&D and new product development. These partnerships enable fast conversion of customer requirements into new products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Roquette: French global leader in starch-based ingredients including polyols, proteins, and modified starches for food and industrial markets. Overlaps on modified starches and clean-label portfolios but operates at significantly larger global scale with multiple starch feedstocks.
• Tereos: French cooperative producing starch, sweeteners, ethanol, and proteins from multiple crops. Comparable cooperative governance model and overlap on starch-based food ingredients and paper/industrial applications.
• Ingredion: US-based global ingredient solutions provider producing starches and sweeteners from corn, tapioca, potato, and other sources. Competes directly with Südstärke's specialty food-starch range but with broader geographic footprint and product diversification.
• Tate & Lyle: Global food ingredient company producing modified food starches, sweeteners, and texturizers for food manufacturers. Competes in the same specialty modified-starch category for clean-label and functionality applications.
• Cargill: Global agribusiness producing starches, sweeteners, and texturizing ingredients including native and modified starches for food, paper, and industrial customers. Overlaps across multiple end-use segments but at substantially larger global scale.

Direct peers

• Emsland Group: German family-owned potato starch and protein manufacturer with production sites across Germany and globally. Most direct comparable: similar native and modified potato starch portfolio, food/feed/paper end markets, and German production heritage.
• Avebe: Dutch cooperative producing potato starch and potato protein for food, feed, and industrial applications. Closely comparable on cooperative ownership structure, contract-farmer supply model, and potato-based starch portfolio.
• AGRANA Stärke: Austrian starch and sugar producer with potato, corn, and wheat starch operations serving food and industrial customers. Comparable in modification capabilities and European food-industry customer base, broader in raw-material scope.
• KMC (Karup Kartoffelmelcentral): Danish potato-starch cooperative owned by contract growers. Direct competitor in native and modified potato starches with similar cooperative economics, focused on food, paper, and feed end markets in Northern Europe.

Regional players

• Pepees (Przedsiębiorstwo Przemysłu Ziemniaczanego): Polish potato starch producer focused on food-grade native starch and feed applications. Comparable on potato starch production and feed co-products, but primarily serves Central/Eastern European markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCM-juV1kr1s0_kLP_tt82pw
• Facebookfacebook.com/suedstaerke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/suedstaerke-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/suedstaerke

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sudstarke