CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US — ADM is continuing to expand its non-genetically modified (GM) capacity in Europe to meet food and feed demand with an agreement to acquire Vandamme Hungaria Kft and its related entities, which operate a 700-tonnes per day non-GM crush and extraction facility in northern Hungary.

The Komárom, Hungary-based production facility was built by Vandamme Group in 2010 and transforms soybeans and corn germ into meal and oils for customers in Europe and the Middle East. It has 38 employees and delivered revenues of approximately €114 million ($127 million) in 2023. 

ADM, which has its European headquarters in Rolle, Switzerland, said it expects to complete this transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, in the coming months. Financial details of the acquisition announced Sept. 24 were not disclosed.

“The enduring global trends of food security and sustainability are driving demand for non-GM products, with 60% of consumers in a European survey saying that non-GM is a claim they like to see on product packaging, and ADM is investing to ensure we can meet this growing demand,” said Sebastian Kuck, general manager of EU soybean crush for ADM. “After a multiyear process of extending our non-GM soybean offerings from our crush facilities in Becej, Serbia, as well as Straubing and Mainz, Germany, we are thrilled to add this state-of-the-art soy and corn germ switch plant to further enable us to meet the needs of our non-GM customers in the food, feed, pet and oil markets.”

Rene van der Poel, commercial manager for ADM, said the company’s growing footprint in the European non-GM soybean market supports farmers with an outlet for a value-added crop that can help with crop rotation and support regenerative agriculture practices.

“We’re proud to partner with farmers across Europe and believe these investments represent yet another way in which we’re adding to our capabilities and demonstrating our unique ability to meet varied customer needs, including when EU deforestation regulations come into law,” van der Poel said.

The Vandamme Group, based in Deinze, Belgium, is a family company active in the production and refining of vegetable oils. It is a European market leader in the production and refining of corn oil and a major producer of high oleic (HO) sunflower oil, GM-free soy oil and high-protein meal for the feed industry.