LDC expands regional presence with new Hamburg office to strengthen feed and food business

GERMANY – Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), a global merchant and processor of agricultural goods, has strengthened its regional presence with the inauguration of a new office in Hamburg’s historic HafenCity district. 

The office, located in Pickhuben, underscores LDC’s commitment to enhancing its connections with regional supply chain partners and fortifying its position in the global oils, fats, and oleochemicals industry.

The new office’s strategic location provides LDC with direct access to the Nordic and Baltic markets, facilitating collaboration with partners to deliver high-quality, plant-based solutions, which include edible oils, natural emulsifiers, lecithin, and non-GMO rapeseed-derived glycerin. 

Stronger commitment to the feed industry

Beyond its focus on edible oils and plant-based solutions, LDC’s expansion in Hamburg plays a vital role in strengthening its animal feed and pet food business, broadening its product portfolio to support the nutritional needs of livestock and aquaculture.

The company provides diverse feed ingredients, including rapeseed meal, feed pellets, fish food, feed-grade molasses, and dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS). These products support livestock nutrition and contribute to sustainable animal husbandry.

LDC’s extensive range of feed ingredients includes canola meal, citrus pulp pellets, cottonseed meal, distillers’ solubles, dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS), feed barley, and various feed grains. 

The company also supplies glycerin, a valuable humectant that retains moisture in animal feed and pet food pellets while improving digestibility. 

With this expansion, LDC reinforces its commitment to supporting sustainable and efficient feed production.

Strategic expansion and investment

The opening of the Hamburg office aligns with LDC’s broader strategy of expanding its global footprint and adapting to evolving market dynamics. 

This initiative follows LDC’s recent announcement of a binding agreement to acquire BASF’s Food and Health Performance Ingredients business. 

The acquisition includes a production site, a state-of-the-art R&D center in Illertissen, Germany, and three application labs outside the country, further strengthening LDC’s innovation capabilities.

Meanwhile, the company reported net sales of US$50.6 billion for the year ending December 31, 2024, maintaining stability despite ongoing geopolitical and climate challenges. Segment operating results reached US$2.35 billion, with EBITDA of US$1.88 billion. 

Capital expenditure significantly increased, reaching US$1.01 billion in 2024, up from US$636 million in 2023. 

Investments were directed toward expanding oilseed processing capacity in North America, constructing a pea protein production plant in Canada, and enhancing logistics infrastructure in South America.

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