World Grain - February 2021 - 68

Shaping the future
OF EUROPEAN MAIZE MILLERS
Brussels-based Euromaisers represents
90% of Europe's maize milling sector
by Chris Lyddon

WG_Feb21.indb 68

is large, but it isn't growing in Europe like it has in
the past. "
The second most important sector is snacks, he said.
Many are made by direct extrusion, but some, for example
tortilla chips, often are produced using the whole grain.
" Often masa, made from maize flour, is used, " he
said. " Then, of course, there are breakfast cereals.
That's a big market for maize, but cornflake sales are
tending to fall. Cornflakes are a very old product and a
very natural product, particularly if no sugar has been
added. This sector of the market is shrinking and being
replaced by slightly more sophisticated products. "
Maize flour markets developing
Gagnol noted that around 15% of the association's
product is exported to outside Europe.
" We are seeing markets for maize flour develop
because it is gluten-free, " he said. " That makes it a
raw material that is interesting from an allergen point
of view and gives us new markets to work on. Then,
more generally, we are responding more and more to
consumers' demands on environment and toxins. Our
job is getting more and more sophisticated from a food
safety point of view.
" In Europe we don't produce genetically modified
maize, which means we can satisfy that market, something that is an indispensable condition for many of our
customers. Overall, the market is not increasing greatly, but there are new segments. We're confident about

Photo courtesy of Euromaisers.

urope's maize millers are at the center of an increasingly integrated supply chain, producing
high-quality products for a food market that demands ever higher standards in terms of safety, sustainability and traceability. At the same time, it faces the
challenge of securing the right quality of raw material
in sufficient quantities.
The industry is represented by the Brussels, Belgiumbased trade association Euromaisiers, whose members
comprise 90% of the sector in Europe. As well as providing a platform for dialogue with European authorities and all relevant stakeholders in the food/feed chain,
it aims to shape the future of the European maize milling industry by encouraging the best agricultural and
industrial practices.
Euromaisiers members produce a wide range of natural and healthy maize-based primary foods destined
for the manufacturing of various food, drink and feed
products, including breakfast cereals, snacks, beer,
baby food, petfood and cattle feed.
The total quantity of maize milled by Euromaisiers
members in 2019 was 1.76 million tonnes.
The president of Euromaisiers is Claude Gagnol of
Limagrain Ingredients, elected in 2018 for a renewable
three-years mandate.
" My job is to ensure the supply of grain to our business, so that we can supply our customers, " he told
World Grain. " I joined Euromaisiers as president for
three years. A European association is important to us,
even though our activity, on a global scale, is small in
relation to the quantity of maize that is produced on a
European scale. "
The EU's annual production of maize is more than
60 million tonnes, with only around 2 million going for
dry milling.
" It is a marginal activity, but it needs a lot of attention on the food aspects because we are primarily
focused on human food, " Gagnol said. " Our members are processing mainly flaking grits, semolina
and flours. The first market for usage is brewing, for
beer. Maize has a role in the production of beer because it is an ingredient that is very competitive, in
comparison with barley or wheat. The beer market

February 2021 / World Grain / World-Grain.com

2/12/2021 8:31:11 AM

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World Grain - February 2021

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