United Sugars

What United Sugars does

United Sugar Producers & Refiners Cooperative, doing business as United Sugar (also referenced as United Sugars), is a US-based sugar marketing and distribution cooperative founded in 1994 and headquartered in Edina, Minnesota. The cooperative aggregates production and refining capacity from member sugar producers — most recently expanded through the integration of the Savannah refinery — and supplies refined sugar products to industrial food and beverage manufacturers (candy, baking, cereal, dairy, and beverage sectors) as well as retail customers on a nationwide basis.

The company's product portfolio spans granulated sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, liquid sucrose, specialty sugar, and retail-packaged products. Distribution is vertically integrated through a direct-to-customer nationwide network that operates both online (via an industry-positioned customer procurement portal at portals.unitedsugars.com) and offline (via direct sales and account representatives). Underlying technology is conventional B2B commerce infrastructure rather than a proprietary platform; no AI/ML systems, patents, or research capabilities are disclosed. The cooperative also publishes sustainability, quality, and community-involvement content, suggesting a stakeholder-oriented operating posture.

Revenue is generated through one-time sales of refined sugar products under a quote-based B2B pricing model. Customer acquisition is driven through the company website, a quote/sample request workflow, an email newsletter, and direct enterprise sales. The firm employs 51–100 people, consistent with a lean marketing-and-coordination function that leverages member-producer farms and refineries for production capacity. Leadership is led by President and CEO Matthew Wineinger. The company remains private, with no public ticker, no disclosed funding rounds, and no named customer logos in the source data.

Name

United Sugars

Legal name

United Sugar Producers & Refiners Cooperative

Website

https://unitedsugars.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

United Sugar Producers & Refiners Cooperative is a US sugar marketing cooperative that supplies granulated, powdered, brown, liquid, and specialty sugars to industrial food manufacturers and retail customers via a vertically integrated nationwide distribution network and an online procurement portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refined Sugar Manufacturing

NAICS

Sugar Manufacturing (31131), Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113), Cane Sugar Manufacturing (311314), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)

akta.pro primary industry

Sugar & Sweeteners Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution (CRAOABAK)

Keywords

• Refined sugar products
• Sugar manufacturing
• Industrial sugar supply
• Sugar distribution services
• Sugar cooperative

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Sugar Product Sales: United Sugar Producers & Refiners operates as a cooperative of sugar producers and refiners, generating revenue through the sale of refined sugar products including granulated, powdered, brown, liquid sucrose, and specialty sugars to industrial and retail customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

United Sugar Producers & Refiners is a cooperative that produces, refines, and distributes a portfolio of refined sugar products—including granulated, powdered, brown, liquid sucrose, and specialty sugars—serving industrial food manufacturers (candy, baking, cereal, dairy, beverages) and retail customers. The company operates a vertically integrated, direct-to-customer nationwide distribution network supported by an online procurement portal, and recently added the Savannah refinery to its production base.

Product overview

United Sugar Producers and Refiners is a sugar cooperative offering a portfolio of sugar products and related services. The product lineup includes Granulated Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Brown Sugar, Liquid Sucrose, Specialty Sugar, and Retail Products, serving the industrial sector (candy, baking, cereal, dairy, beverages) and retail sector. The company provides vertical integration and direct-to-customer nationwide distribution. Services include Industrial Sugar Services and Retail Sugar Services, supported by an online customer procurement portal. The company recently expanded by integrating the Savannah refinery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Granulated Sugar
• Powdered Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Liquid Sucrose
• Specialty Sugar
• Retail Products
• Industrial Sugar Services
• Retail Sugar Services

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Savannah RefinerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The Savannah refinery recently joined United Sugar Producers and Refiners as part of a new company structure. This acquisition strengthens the cooperative's commitment to remaining a capable, reliable, and sustainable sugar provider, delivering exceptional support to customers every day.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Imperial Sugar: Refined cane sugar brand (also under ASR Group) serving retail and industrial customers with granulated, powdered, and brown sugar products comparable to United Sugars' portfolio.
• C&H Sugar: Refined cane sugar brand owned by ASR Group, competing head-to-head with United Sugars in retail and industrial granulated and specialty sugar SKUs.
• Domino Foods: Largest US refined sugar supplier and private-label sugar producer, directly competing with United Sugars in industrial and retail cane sugar channels.
• American Crystal Sugar Company: Largest US sugar beet cooperative, vertically integrated from grower to refined sugar, selling industrial and retail sugar through a structure directly comparable to United Sugars.
• Western Sugar Cooperative: Sugar beet cooperative producing and marketing refined sugar under the Western Sugar brand, mirroring United Sugars' cooperative go-to-market and industrial customer base.
• Michigan Sugar Company: Sugar beet grower-owned cooperative producing and marketing refined sugar; comparable cooperative structure and direct-to-customer industrial/retail model.
• Amalgamated Sugar Company: Sugar beet cooperative owned by growers; refines and markets sugar for industrial and retail customers, structurally analogous to United Sugar Producers & Refiners.

Broad incumbents

• ASR Group (American Sugar Refining): Global sugar refiner owning Domino, C&H, and other brands; competes broadly with United Sugars across industrial, retail, and foodservice sugar categories.
• Cargill: Global agribusiness with significant sugar trading, refining, and origination capabilities that compete with United Sugars in industrial sugar supply and ingredient distribution.

Regional players

• Südzucker: Europe's largest sugar producer with refining and specialty sugar capabilities; relevant peer for product breadth and industrial customer strategy, though primarily serving European markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-sugars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 United Sugars