• Cosumar to produce food-grade liquid CO₂ from captured emissions
• $53 million Casablanca unit targets 20,000 tons annually by 2026
• Project aims to replace imports, diversify revenue beyond sugar

Morocco’s sole sugar producer, Cosumar, is expanding its industrial diversification with a new project to produce food-grade liquid carbon dioxide (LCO₂), a key input used in the carbonated beverage industry.

The project uses a process that captures carbon dioxide generated by Cosumar’s existing operations and purifies it into liquid CO₂ that meets international standards, including those set by the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT) and the European Industrial Gases Association (EIGA), according to local media reports on Monday, April 6.

A $53 Million Investment Plan

The project requires an investment of more than 500 million dirhams ($53 million), company officials said. The first LCO₂ production unit is planned at Cosumar’s Casablanca refinery, with an initial capacity of 20,000 metric tons per year. It is expected to come online by the end of 2026.

Longer term, Cosumar plans to expand production to its other sugar sites. The company operates eight industrial facilities across Morocco and sources sugar beet and sugarcane from more than 40,000 farmers.

Morocco currently relies entirely on imports for food-grade CO₂. Cosumar aims to gradually replace imports and gain market share in a segment driven by growth in the carbonated beverage industry.

The market, including sodas, sparkling water and energy drinks, is expanding. According to India-based research firm Strategy Helix, it is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 3.6% between 2025 and 2030, reaching $810.2 million. The sector is dominated by multinationals such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, whose local plants are potential buyers of LCO₂.

Beyond beverages, LCO₂ is also used in pharmaceuticals, cryogenics, agriculture and seawater desalination, expanding Cosumar’s potential customer base.

An Industrial Integration Strategy

The project reflects Cosumar’s broader strategy to deepen industrial integration. By monetizing a byproduct of its operations, the company is turning an underutilized stream into a new source of revenue.

The initiative also aims to diversify earnings beyond its core sugar business and the processing of byproducts such as molasses and pellets, which are dehydrated beet pulp enriched with molasses and used in the production of food-grade yeast, alcohol and animal feed.

In 2025, Cosumar reported revenue of 10.48 billion dirhams ($1.1 billion), up 2.4% year-on-year.

Stéphanas Assocle