Grupo Jb

What Grupo Jb does

Grupo JB is a privately-held Brazilian agroindustrial conglomerate founded in 1964 and headquartered in Recife, with production operations in Vitória de Santo Antão (Pernambuco) and Linhares (Espírito Santo). The group operates across the full sugarcane value chain through wholly-owned subsidiaries including LASA Bioenergia, Companhia Alcoolquímica Nacional (CAN), Carbo Gás, Pirapama Bioenergia, JB Açúcar e Álcool, and Alastro. Its core technology centers on integrated sugarcane processing: milling into sugar and ethanol, capturing pure food-grade CO2 from sugarcane fermentation, and burning bagasse to generate steam and electricity for self-consumption and grid sale. Notable technical components include a buried subsurface drip irrigation system deployed at LASA Bioenergia (delivering up to 3x yield per hectare and extending sugarcane field longevity from 4.2 to 10+ years) and an exclusive in-house oil and grease laboratory that reduced industrial lubricant consumption by more than 40%. The group employs approximately 5,000 people and operates 6 CO2 production plants with storage exceeding 6,000 tonnes, plus two thermoelectric plants (UTE JB at 50,000 MWh/year and UTE Pirapama at ~150,000 MWh/year).

Grupo JB generates revenue through multiple commodity and industrial channels: sale of sugar, ethanol (including the November 2022 first international export of ~4,000 tonnes to Ghana), food-grade CO2 (in liquefied form, cylinders, and dry ice at -78°C), bioelectricity under the PROINFA program, fuel distribution via ELLO (now partnered with PUMA/Trafigura), and storage/warehousing services. Customer segments span carbonated beverage manufacturers and other industrial CO2 buyers (food and beverage, welding, cryogenics, pharma/cold chain), commodity sugar and ethanol buyers in national and export markets, and electricity grid off-takers. Go-to-market is predominantly direct enterprise sales with owned logistics (Carbo Gás runs its own specialized tanker fleet with driver-operators plus accompanying engineers and technicians); international ethanol exports are routed via the Porto do Recife in partnership with OminiLog.

Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled through direct B2B commercial relationships. The group's marketing and brand presence is institutional and sustainability-led, anchored on social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), the corporativo website (grupojb.com.br), annual Sustainability Reports in Portuguese and English, and environmental/community campaigns. Multiple awards in 2024 — MasterCana Norte/Nordeste (Carolina Beltrão as one of the most influential women in the sugarcane-energy sector), an ALEPE legislative tribute for six decades of contribution, and renewed Abrinq Criança-Friendly Company recognition — underscore an established regional profile rather than rapid scaling signals.

Name

Grupo Jb

Legal name

Grupo JB

Website

https://grupojb.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Grupo JB is a privately-held Brazilian agroindustrial conglomerate founded in 1964 that produces sugar, ethanol, food-grade CO2, bioelectricity, fuels, and storage services from sugarcane, serving commodity markets and industrial buyers across Brazil with initial exports to Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agroindustrial sugar and ethanol production

NAICS

Cane Sugar Manufacturing (311314), Sugarcane Farming (111930), Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing (312)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172)

akta.pro primary industry

Grain & Sugar-Based Ethanol Production (EUAAAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sugarcane Farming (AFAGAEAA), Sugar & Starch Crop Contract Growing & Plantation Operations (AFAGAEAL), Sugar & Sweeteners Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAB)

Keywords

• Sugarcane processing
• Ethanol production
• Food-grade CO2
• Biomass cogeneration
• Sugar manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Vitória De Santo Antão

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sugar Production and Sales: Production and commercialization of sugar for national and international markets. The Group achieved production of 10,000 bags of sugar per day as of 2003.
2. Alcohol (Ethanol) Production and Sales: Following the PROALCOOL government program (1982), the Group produces fuel alcohol (ethanol) for the Brazilian market and exports alcohol ethylico internationally. The Group completed its first international export operation in November 2022, shipping 4,000 tonnes to Ghana via Porto do Recife.
3. CO2 Production and Sales (Carbo Gás): Carbo Gás produces and commercializes pure, food-grade CO2 from green sources (fermentation of sugarcane juice). The company operates 6 state-of-the-art production plants with storage exceeding 6,000 tonnes and distributes via a fleet of specialized tankers, direct cylinder filling, and dry ice (solid CO2 at -78°C).
4. Electric Power Generation (UTE): The Group generates electricity from sugarcane bagasse burning. UTE JB in Vitória de Santo Antão produces 50,000 MWh/year; UTE Pirapama has capacity of ~150,000 MWh/year. Energy is sold under PROINFA and through emergency supply contracts.
5. Fuel Distribution (ELLO): Investments started in 2000 in ELLO – Distribuidora de Combustíveis, focused on commercialization and distribution of fuels. ELLO merged with PUMA (Trafigura group) in 2006.
6. Storage and Warehousing: Storage services for agricultural and industrial products as part of the Group's integrated agroindustrial operations serving national and international markets.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Grupo JB is an integrated Brazilian agroindustrial group that processes sugarcane into multiple finished products: sugar, fuel ethanol, food-grade carbon dioxide (via its Carbo Gás subsidiary with 6 plants), bioelectricity from bagasse cogeneration, fuel distribution (via ELLO/PUMA), traditional cachaça, and agricultural/industrial storage services. The group operates mills and units in Pernambuco and Espírito Santo, supplying both domestic industrial buyers (beverage, food, manufacturing) and select export markets.

Product overview

Grupo JB is an integrated Brazilian agroindustrial group operating across the sugarcane value chain. The company's portfolio includes sugar, alcohol/ethanol (fuel and non-fuel), food-grade carbon dioxide (CO2), electricity (from biomass cogeneration), fuels, cachaça (traditional Brazilian spirit), and storage services. The group comprises subsidiaries including LASA Bioenergia (sugar and ethanol production in Linhares-ES), Alcoolquímica/Companhia Alcoolquímica Nacional (chemical products and alcohol in Vitória de Santo Antão-PE), Carbo Gás (food-grade CO2 production across 6 plants), and Pirapama Bioenergia (energy generation). Products are distributed nationally and internationally, with the group self-sustaining its energy needs through bagasse-fired cogeneration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LASA: Linhares Agroindustrial S/A - sugar, alcohol and bioenergy production unit in Linhares, Espírito Santo
• Lasa Bioenergia
• Alcoolquímica
• Companhia Alcoolquímica Nacional (CAN)
• Carbo Gás
• Brilhando Juntos

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 3x increase in tonnes of sugarcane per hectare with buried drip irrigation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• OminiLog Consultoria e Serviços LogísticosminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2022Facilitated the first international export of alcohol ethylico via Porto do Recife to Ghana, Africa. OminiLog brought port expertise, facilitated connections with specialized logistics companies and important port entities, streamlining the export process.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tereos: French-headquartered sugar and ethanol producer with significant Brazilian operations (Tereos Açúcar e Energia Brasil); produces sugar, ethanol, and bioelectricity from sugarcane — directly comparable integrated peer with international footprint.
• Adecoagro: South American agribusiness group with sugarcane operations in Brazil (and farms in Argentina/Uruguay) producing sugar, ethanol, and bioelectricity — comparable integrated business model with similar product portfolio.
• White Martins: Praxair/Linde's Brazilian industrial gases subsidiary, the largest CO2 and industrial gas supplier in Brazil — directly competes with Carbo Gás in food-grade CO2 for beverage carbonation and industrial applications across the same geography.
• Atvos: Brazilian sugarcane processor operating multiple integrated mills producing sugar, ethanol (anhydrous and hydrated), and bioelectricity; emerged from restructuring and is a direct mid-tier peer to Grupo JB in product mix and scale.
• BP Bunge Bioenergia: Joint venture between BP and Bunge operating 11 sugarcane mills across Brazil, producing sugar, ethanol, and bioelectricity — directly comparable mid-to-large scale integrated sugarcane processor with similar product portfolio.
• São Martinho: One of Brazil's largest publicly-traded sugarcane processors, producing sugar, ethanol, and bioelectricity from mills primarily in São Paulo state — directly comparable to Grupo JB in business model and integrated sugarcane-to-multi-product operations.
• Raízen: Brazil's largest sugarcane processor, joint venture between Cosan and Shell; produces sugar, ethanol, and bioelectricity from sugarcane with integrated mills across São Paulo and other states — the closest scale-comparable direct peer to Grupo JB's integrated model.

Broad incumbents

• Cosan: Major Brazilian agribusiness and energy holding company controlling Raízen and other downstream businesses (logistics, lubricants); broader portfolio than Grupo JB but overlaps in sugarcane-derived sugar, ethanol, and energy products.
• Air Products: Global industrial gases major with operations in Brazil; competes with Carbo Gás in food-grade and industrial CO2 supply as part of a wider industrial gases portfolio — comparable in product offering but broader and global in scale.
• LDC (Louis Dreyfus Company): Global commodities merchant with Brazilian sugarcane operations producing sugar and ethanol among a diversified agri-products portfolio — adjacent peer in sugarcane processing with broader commodity merchant scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Grupo-JB-108990051769424/?ref=pages_you_manage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grupojb/about
• Instagraminstagram.com/ogrupojb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Grupo Jb