COPROB

What COPROB does

COPROB (legal entity Co.Pro.B. Cooperativa Produttori Bieticoli Soc. Coop. Agricola), founded in 1962 and headquartered in Minerbio (Bologna), is a cooperative of Italian sugar beet producers that operates the only domestic beet-to-sugar processing infrastructure in Italy. The company runs two sugar refineries, in Minerbio (Bologna) and Pontelongo (Padua), which together process sugar beets cultivated across approximately 28,000 hectares in Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Piemonte, Lombardia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Marche. COPROB coordinates the complete supply chain: it is supplied by approximately 4,000 farmer members (soci produttori agricoli) plus an additional 2,500 raw material contributors (conferenti di materia prima), provides agronomic consulting and monitoring services (pest tracking, weather, beet pricing), and transports beets from farms to its factories for industrial processing into finished sugar. Output is sold under the Italia Zuccheri brand (classic, raw, and bio variants) through Italian retail and to food and beverage industry buyers as an industrial raw ingredient; co-products include beet pulp (polpe), molasses (melasso), and lime (calci).

The company monetizes primarily through sales of branded and bulk sugar, with by-product sales as a secondary stream and recurring agronomic service delivery embedded in cooperative membership. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through commercial channels across retail and industrial buyers. COPROB's Nostrano Bio line is the first 100% organic Made-in-Italy sugar, sourced from a 1,900-hectare organic beet chain that is the largest of its kind in Europe belonging to a single company. Approximately 75% of cultivated hectares are certified organic (BIO) or under Italy's National Quality System for Integrated Production (SQNPI), and COPROB additionally holds EU Organic, REDcert2, ISO 22005, ISO 9001, and LCA certifications. Active R&D and partnership activity includes a three-year genetic research program with United Beet Seeds (UBS, 2025) for climate-adapted Italian varieties, the Tara Terra in-field vision measurement system with UNITEC, the IRRI-MIA irrigation efficiency project (2023-2025) with CER and ANBI, and experimental variety trials with KWS at the Istituto Agrario Ottavio Munerati. Each of the two factories generates an economic downstream (indotto) of approximately €100 million annually.

Name

COPROB

Legal name

Co.Pro.B. Cooperativa Produttori Bieticoli Soc. Coop. Agricola

Website

https://coprob.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

COPROB is an Italian cooperative of 4,000+ sugar beet farmers founded in 1962, operating the only two domestic beet sugar refineries (Minerbio and Pontelongo) and selling Italia Zuccheri and Nostrano Bio branded sugar to Italian retail and food and beverage industrial buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sugar Manufacturing

NAICS

Beet Sugar Manufacturing (311313), Sugar Beet Farming (111991), Sugar Manufacturing (31131)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)

akta.pro primary industry

Beet Sugar (Raw & Refined) (AFAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sugar Beet Farming (AFAGAEAB), Sugar & Starch Crop Contract Growing & Plantation Operations (AFAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Sugar beet processing
• Italian sugar production
• Organic sugar manufacturing
• Agricultural cooperative services
• Sugar refinery operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Minerbio

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sugar Production and Sales: COPROB generates revenue by processing sugar beets supplied by its 4,000+ farmer members into finished sugar products. The company manages the complete supply chain from field to final customer, operating two sugar refineries (Minerbio and Pontelongo). Revenue derives from the sale of branded sugar products (Italia Zuccheri, Nostrano Bio) to retail, food service, and industrial buyers. Each factory generates an economic downstream (indotto) of approximately 100 million euros annually.
2. Agricultural Services and Consulting: The cooperative provides agronomic consulting services, coordination of beet transportation from farms to factories, and agricultural support tools (bulletins, specifications, monitoring) to its farmer members. These services are bundled within the cooperative membership structure.
3. Co-products (Polpe, Melasso, Calci): Processing of sugar beets also yields co-products including pulp (polpe), molasses (melasso), and lime (calci) from sugar beet processing, which are sold as by-products.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

COPROB is a cooperative of sugar beet producers that operates the only two sugar refineries in Italy (Minerbio and Pontelongo), producing 100% Italian sugar under the Italia Zuccheri brand and the Nostrano Bio organic line. The cooperative manages the full farm-to-customer supply chain, coordinating 4,000+ farmer members, providing agronomic consulting, handling beet transportation, processing sugar beets into finished products, and distributing packaged sugar to retail chains and food industry buyers. By-products (pulp, molasses, lime) are also commercialised.

Product overview

COPROB-Italia Zuccheri is a cooperative of sugar beet producers managing a complete farm-to-customer supply chain for 100% Italian sugar. The company operates two sugar refineries in Minerbio and Pontelongo, producing sugar under the Italia Zuccheri brand in classic, raw, and bio (Nostrano Bio) varieties. The product portfolio includes SQNPI certified sugar for integrated production, along with agricultural monitoring, consulting, and certification services for over 4,000 member farmers. Byproducts from sugar beet processing include pulp (polpe), molasses (melasso), and lime (calci), with an economic multiplier effect of approximately 100 million euros per refinery annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nostrano Bio: Organic sugar product line - the first 100% biological made-in-Italy sugar, produced since 2019 and certified 'Consigliato da Legambiente'
• Italia Zuccheri

Products and services

• Italia Zuccheri Sugar 100% Italian sugar brand produced from sugar beets cultivated by cooperative members, available in classic, raw, and bio versions. Sold through Italian retail chains and to industrial food and beverage buyers.
• Nostrano Bio Sugar First 100% organic made-in-Italy bio sugar, produced from the largest organic sugar beet chain in Europe belonging to a single company (1,900 hectares of organic cultivation). EU organic certified and recommended by Legambiente since 2019.
• SQNPI Certified Sugar Sugar produced from sugar beets grown under the National Quality System for Integrated Production (SQNPI), certified for sustainable agricultural practices. Recommended by Legambiente from mid-2021.
• Agricultural Monitoring Services Monitoring services for sugar beet pests (Nottue, Cleono, Lisso), weather conditions, prices, and commodity exchange information provided to member farmers via the Area Agricoltori portal.
• Agronomic Consulting Services Agronomic advisory services provided to sugar beet farmer members, including technical support, best agricultural practices, bulletins, specifications (disciplinari), and cultivation guidance across multiple Italian regions.
• Agricultural Certification Services Internal certification office that validates documentation from over 900 member farms and manages compliance across SQNPI, BIO, REDCERT2, ISO 22005, and LCA certification schemes for the cooperative's sugar beet supply chain.
• Beet Transportation Services Coordination of sugar beet transport from over 4,000 member farms to COPROB's two sugar refineries in Minerbio and Pontelongo.
• Sugar Beet Processing Co-products (Pulp, Molasses, Lime) By-products from sugar beet processing including pulp (polpe), molasses (melasso), and lime (calci), sold as secondary commercial outputs from the refining process.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31,900 tonnes of organic sugar beets produced in 2025 campaign
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Regione del VenetominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 December 2018COPROB received funding under PSR Veneto (Rural Development Programme) Measure 4.2.1 for material investments in processing and marketing of agricultural products, specifically automation of 7 continuous hydroextractors at its Pontelongo facility. Total funded amount: €44,100.
• Regione del VenetominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 December 2018Second PSR Veneto Measure 4.2.1 project for new technological systems in the Pontelongo processing and packaging facility. Total funded amount: €289,612.08.
• Università degli Studi di Padova - DAFNAEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAFNAE (Dipartimento di Agronomia Animali Alimenti Risorse Naturali e Ambiente) serves as the scientific coordinator for the BETBIO project, focused on developing innovative high-environmental-sustainability defence tools for organic sugar beet cultivation. Also involved in the IRRI-MIA irrigation project.
• Università degli Studi di Padova - DISGGeAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDipartimento di Scienze Storiche, Geografiche e dell'Antichità at University of Padua, involved in the So.Ge.Agr. project (part of the Veneto Regional Programme) on gender solutions for multifunctional agriculture.
• Università degli Studi di Padova - DEIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione at University of Padua, involved in the C.A.B.I. project on improving competitiveness of organic sugar beet farms through innovative agroecological practices.
• Impresa Verde Verona SRLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the BETBIO operational group focused on biological pest control for organic sugar beets.
• Consorzio Agrario del Nord Est Soc. Coop.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the BETBIO operational group.
• United Beet Seeds (UBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year genetic research partnership with UBS, a global joint venture in sugar beet and chicory (Groupe Florimond Desprez and DLF Seeds A/S), focused on developing sugar beet varieties adapted to Italian conditions with greater tolerance to climate change stress. Includes partner brand SESVANDERHAVE.
• CER (Consorzio di Bonifica Secondaria di Minerbio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year collaboration (2023-2025) with CER on irrigation systems applied to sugar beet cultivation, including experimental trials at Acqua Campus in Budrio (BO). Also collaborated on IRRI-MIA irrigation efficiency project.
• ANBI (Associazione Nazionale Bonifiche Irrigue)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with ANBI on irrigation technologies for sugar beet cultivation, as part of the three-year project (2023-2025) and IRRI-MIA project.
• UNITECcoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration with UNITEC (Lugo, RA) to develop the Tara Terra measurement system, which measures soil tare directly in the field at the moment of beet uprooting using dedicated vision technology on the harvester elevator.
• KWScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with KWS for variety trials in experimental fields, showcasing new Cercospora Plus and Conviso Smart varieties and discussing Cercospora strategies and drone applications in modern agriculture.
• Federbio ServiziminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Federbio Servizi for events related to organic sugar beet cultivation, including autumn organic beet field days.
• SATAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with SATA on the 'Filiera Connessa' field day, presenting experimental platforms for sugar beet and cereals at the Istituto Agrario Ottavio Munerati.
• HP4Industry ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOPROB participates in the HP4Industry European project related to ecological energy transition in industrial settings.
• Regione Emilia-RomagnaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeneficiary of PSR Emilia-Romagna funding for multiple projects: water and fertilizer management improvement, new raw sugar production facility, and wheat-sugar beet succession. Also received 2023-2027 PSP-CoPSR funding for organic sugar promotion.
• Regione del VenetominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory and funding partner for multiple rural development projects including BETBIO, So.Ge.Agr., and C.A.B.I. projects through the Veneto Regional Rural Development Programme.
• CEFS (Comité Européen des Fabricants de Sucre)coreOthersCOPROB Vice President Giovanni Tamburini was elected President of CEFS (European sugar producers association) in June 2025 for a three-year term. COPROB President Luigi Maccaferri is also a member of the CIBE (International Confederation of European Beet Growers) board.
• Coldiretti BiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOPROB participates in Coldiretti Bio seminars on organic agriculture's contribution to climate change mitigation.
• Prof. Francesco MorariminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific coordinator of the BETBIO project, from DAFNAE Department, University of Padua.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tereos: French sugar cooperative producing sugar, ethanol, and starch from beet and cane. Highly comparable to COPROB as a farmer-owned cooperative model with integrated beet sugar processing, B2B and B2C sugar brands (including the Italian Eridania brand), and EU-wide operations.
• Nordzucker: German-Northern European sugar beet cooperative operating multiple sugar factories across Germany, Poland, and other markets. Closely comparable to COPROB as a beet sugar cooperative with member-farmer structure and vertically integrated processing.
• Pfeifer & Langen: German family-owned sugar producer operating multiple beet sugar factories. Comparable to COPROB as a privately-held beet sugar refiner serving both retail and industrial channels in a single regional market.
• Royal Cosun: Dutch agricultural cooperative operating beet sugar processing (Suiker Unie), potato starch, and fruit/vegetable ingredients. Highly comparable to COPROB as a cooperative sugar beet processor with diversified downstream uses of beets and a strong sustainability positioning.

Broad incumbents

• AGRANA: Austrian sugar and starch manufacturer with operations across Central and Eastern Europe. Comparable to COPROB as a beet sugar refiner, but with broader product diversification into fruit preparations and starch.
• Cargill: Global agricultural commodities trader and processor with substantial sugar origination, refining, and trading operations worldwide. Comparable to COPROB as an industrial sugar supplier to B2B food and beverage buyers, though much larger and globally diversified.
• ASR Group: World's largest cane sugar refiner (formerly Domino Foods/C&H Sugar), part of the Flo-Sun group. Comparable to COPROB in product category (refined sugar) but not in feedstock (cane vs beet) or scale; relevant as a global benchmark for industrial sugar supply.
• Südzucker: Europe's largest sugar producer, operating beet sugar factories across multiple EU member states and a wide portfolio including sugar, ethanol, and fruit. Comparable to COPROB as a beet sugar manufacturer with a similar upstream-downstream integration model, but with broader geographic and product diversification.

Regional players

• British Sugar: UK's sole beet sugar processor, owned by ABF/Associated British Foods, operating four factories from a single-domestic grower base. Comparable to COPROB as a single-country beet sugar monopoly with vertically integrated farmer supply, though not directly competitive geographically.
• Eridania: Italian consumer sugar brand historically associated with domestic sugar production, now owned by Tereos. Comparable to COPROB as a competing Italian retail sugar brand, though Eridania's supply is now sourced via Tereos rather than domestic beet processing.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/co.pro.b.-sca

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 COPROB