Sustainable Oils,LLC

What Sustainable Oils,LLC does

Sustainable Oils, LLC is the world's leading developer of proprietary Camelina sativa (camelina) varieties for use as a nonfood, ultra-low carbon feedstock in renewable diesel production. Founded in 2007 and based in Great Falls, Montana, the company holds the largest intellectual property portfolio in the camelina category, including 20 patented or PVP-protected varieties (SO-40 through SO-120), a genetic library exceeding 25,000 camelina genotypes, an 8,000-line tilling mutant library, and a CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing license from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and Corteva Agriscience. Sustainable Oils' camelina is the only camelina certified under both the U.S. EPA Renewable Fuel Standard and the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, a regulatory exclusivity that underpins its value in biofuel offtake.

The company's business model is vertically integrated through its parent, Grapevine Energy Holdings, LLC, and that parent's Central Valley Renewables subsidiary, which operates a renewable diesel refinery in Bakersfield, California. Sustainable Oils contracts directly with farmers, providing proprietary planting seed at no cost and purchasing the harvested grain; the grain is processed into renewable diesel at the Bakersfield facility under a multi-year agreement with global commodity broker Vitol for up to 220 million gallons per year. Distribution combines a direct territory sales force (three U.S. territory managers covering Montana, the High Plains, and the Pacific Northwest) with channel partnerships through Syngenta's AgriPro dealer network, CHS cooperatives, and certified regional seed retailers (Mid Kansas Coop, Producer Ag, AgMark LLC). Growers are served in Montana, Western Kansas, Eastern Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest domestically, and in Argentina, France, and Spain internationally following the 2022 acquisition of Camelina Company España S.L.

In 2023, the company contracted a record 65,000 acres of camelina globally with record yields up to 1,900 pounds per acre, against a stated target of more than one million acres at maturity. It received a $30 million USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant (via parent Grapevine Energy Holdings) to validate camelina's carbon intensity and sequestration profile, expanded its North American headquarters to a 20,000 square foot facility in Great Falls, and broke ground on a 600,000 bushel grain storage and rail loading facility in Havre, Montana. Sustainable Oils is a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:GCEH).

Name

Sustainable Oils,LLC

Legal name

Sustainable Oils, LLC

Website

http://www.susoils.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sustainable Oils, LLC is a Great Falls, Montana-based plant science company that develops patented Camelina sativa seed varieties as a nonfood, ultra-low carbon feedstock for renewable diesel, supplying contracted growers and its parent's integrated Bakersfield refinery under a multi-year Vitol offtake.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Camelina Seed and Grain Sales: Sustainable Oils provides proprietary camelina planting seed to contracted growers (free of charge) and purchases the harvested grain. The grain is processed into renewable diesel at the Bakersfield, California refinery owned by parent company Grapevine Energy Holdings through its Central Valley Renewables subsidiary.
2. Renewable Diesel Production and Sales: Camelina oil extracted from harvested grain is processed into renewable diesel. Multi-year agreement with Vitol to purchase up to 220 million gallons per year of renewable diesel. The company also targets over one million acres of camelina production projected at market maturity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sustainable Oils develops and sells proprietary Camelina sativa seed varieties as a nonfood, ultra-low carbon feedstock for renewable diesel production. The company provides free planting seed to contracted growers and purchases the harvested grain, which is processed into renewable diesel at the parent company's Bakersfield, California refinery under a multi-year offtake agreement with Vitol for up to 220 million gallons per year.

Product overview

Sustainable Oils operates as the world's leading camelina seed company, offering proprietary camelina varieties (SO-40 through SO-120) as a nonfood ultra-low carbon biofuels feedstock for renewable diesel production. The company provides an integrated offering combining patented seed products, certified seed distribution through multiple retail networks (Mid Kansas Coop, Producer Ag, AgMark LLC, Syngenta AgriPro), and comprehensive grower support including Best Management Practices guides and CASE IH equipment setup. The products are certified under EPA Renewable Fuel Standard and California LCFS, with a USDA Climate Smart Commodities grant supporting research across five agroclimatic regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sustainable Oils Camelina Seed (proprietary Camelina sativa varieties) Proprietary camelina (Camelina sativa) planting seed provided to contracted growers to produce a nonfood, ultra-low carbon oilseed feedstock for renewable diesel. The crop is short-season (85-110 days), drought- and frost-tolerant, certified for EPA Renewable Fuel Standard and California LCFS, and yields 1,000+ pounds per acre on dryland.
• Patented Camelina Varieties (SO-40, SO-50, SO-70, SO-80, SO-90, SO-100, SO-110, SO-120) Patented and PVP-protected proprietary camelina varieties exhibiting superior agronomic performance, improved seed quality, and high oil content in challenging dryland growing conditions; includes spring and winter varieties for different crop rotations and geographies.
• Certified Camelina Seed Distribution Network Certified camelina planting seed sold through authorized retailers and dealer networks (Mid Kansas Coop, Producer Ag, AgMark LLC, Syngenta AgriPro) to growers across Montana, Kansas, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest, with harvest purchase contracts available to growers purchasing seed through the channel.
• USDA Climate Smart Camelina Project Multi-year climate-smart commodities pilot project validating carbon sequestration, carbon intensity, regenerative agriculture, and economic viability of camelina as an ultra-low carbon renewable fuel feedstock across five U.S. agroclimatic regions, with ecosystem partners providing satellite imagery, GHG measurement, and lifecycle assessment.
• Herbicide-Resistant Camelina Variety (Group 2 imazamox/imazethapyr) New proprietary camelina variety confirmed resistant to imazamox and imazethapyr (Group 2 herbicides), enabling broader in-crop weed control options for growers; PPO (Group 14) herbicide tolerance is being introgressed across elite lines for future release.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 220 million gallons per year renewable diesel purchase agreement with Vitol
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Syngenta SeedscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 August 2023Commercial agreement for Syngenta to sell camelina seed through its AgriPro dealer network in select areas of Western Kansas, Colorado, Montana, and Pacific Northwest. Farmers purchasing seed receive harvest purchase contracts.
• USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022USDA selected Grapevine Energy Holdings for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant program, awarded up to $30 million for pilot project measuring and validating advantages of camelina as ultra-low carbon renewable fuel feedstock across five agroclimatic regions.
• CHS Farmers Elevator and Ag Partners, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 March 2022Partnership to provide eastern Montana growers convenient access to camelina seed and grain delivery services through Glendive and Wolf Point locations.
• VitolflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal commodity broker with multi-year agreement to purchase up to 220 million gallons per year of renewable diesel made from various feedstocks, including camelina oil from Sustainable Oils.
• CHS Big SkycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to serve needs of central and western Montana growers with Sustainable Oils Camelina, including grain handling and transportation services.
• Mid Kansas CoopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified Sustainable Oils Camelina seed retailer in Moundridge, KS serving Kansas region growers.
• Producer AgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified Sustainable Oils Camelina seed retailer combining crop insurance, crop inputs, and grain marketing services.
• AgMark LLCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified Sustainable Oils Camelina seed retailer and grain elevation/marketing service owned by CVA and other cooperatives in Kansas.
• Corteva AgrisciencecoreTechnology or IntegrationJoint licensing agreement with Corteva Agriscience and Broad Institute for CRISPR-Cas9 and related gene editing tools to further develop patented camelina varieties.
• Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardcoreTechnology or IntegrationJoint licensing agreement for CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing technology for targeted changes to camelina DNA, incorporating traits such as high oil yield, quick maturity, herbicide tolerance, and drought tolerance.
• The Ohio State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for USDA Climate Smart Camelina Project conducting TEA, LCA, and biophysical flux model development and evaluation to assess CO2 exchange and water use by the crop.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camelina Company España S.L. European camelina crop innovator and seed producer, headquartered in Madrid. Was actually acquired by Sustainable Oils' parent (Global Clean Energy Holdings) in January 2022, but historically operated as a direct competitor in EU camelina breeding and commercialization.
• CoverCress Inc. (now BP): CoverCress developed pennycress (a close relative of camelina) as a winter oilseed cover crop for renewable diesel feedstock. It is the most directly comparable competitor, addressing the same market with a similar oilseed-cover-crop business model; BP acquired the company in 2023 to secure feedstock supply.
• Smart Earth Seeds Inc. Canadian-based camelina seed company breeding and selling proprietary Camelina sativa varieties for biofuel and bioproduct markets. Direct competitor in the camelina genetics space with overlapping target customers (renewable diesel feedstock growers).

Broad incumbents

• Bunge Global SA: One of the world's largest oilseed processors and a leading player in renewable feedstocks and biodiesel. Comparable as a broad incumbent in oilseed crushing, refining, and downstream biofuel value chains that Sustainable Oils targets.
• Neste Oyj: World's largest producer of renewable diesel from waste and residue feedstocks. Comparable as a downstream renewable diesel offtaker that competes with Vitol/parent's refinery for feedstock supply, including oilseed-based renewable diesel.
• Diamond Green Diesel (Valero/Darling JV):
• Corteva Agriscience: Major agricultural inputs and seed genetics company; CRISPR-Cas9 co-licensor with Sustainable Oils. Comparable as a large incumbent in crop genetics and seed commercialization with much broader portfolio across corn, soy, and other row crops.
• Syngenta Seeds: Global seed and crop protection company; commercial distribution partner for Sustainable Oils camelina through its AgriPro dealer network. Comparable as a broad incumbent in oilseed genetics with overlapping grower relationships and distribution reach.
• Cargill, Incorporated: Global agribusiness with extensive oilseed origination, processing, and biofuel investments. Comparable as a broad incumbent across the full oilseed-to-renewable-diesel value chain that Sustainable Oils operates in.
• Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. Parent company of Sustainable Oils; operates the vertically integrated farm-to-renewable-diesel business including the Bakersfield refinery (Central Valley Renewables) and the Vitol offtake agreement. Comparable as the downstream platform that monetizes Sustainable Oils' feedstock.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sustainable-oils-inc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Sustainable Oils,LLC