In this case study, a US-based bioethanol company engaged CPL Business Consultants to provide information on the market for Grain Distiller’s Dried Yeast (GDDY) and recommendations for its growth strategy. 

Objective

This market study assisted a client in understanding the market for brewer‘s dried yeast and also grain distillers’ dried yeast.

The client produced dried yeast as a by-product from its ethanol business and consequently required information about the market. This included the global market size (but with a focus on the US), value, prices, and how these yeasts are used.  Additionally, it required information on the products it competes against (can customers switch away from yeast if the price rises). Finally, it wanted information on value-adding IP  (e.g. as pre-mixes or similar to add flavour and allow salt reduction).

The project provided an overview of dried yeast market dynamics, in order to inform the client’s product growth strategy.

Method

CPL identified 297 fuel ethanol plants either presently producing or about to come on-stream. Of these, 208 were in the United States and Canada, 84 were in Europe; 5 Chinese plants were also included

During the course of this study, CPL made ~70 direct contacts with individuals in companies participating in the yeast business, including producers, traders and users. In addition, through extensive use of professional networking groups, we made around 30 additional contacts with producers of products related or similar to Grain Distillers Dried Yeast (GDDY), end-users including animal nutrition specialists and North American traders.

We contacted yeast traders and producers of other by-product yeast from outside the US bioethanol co-products industry either directly or through networking groups. We prioritized the major bioethanol-producing countries, for example, Brazil, India, Germany and the UK.

Click to see the contents of the study, or look below for an outline.

Brewer’s and Grain Distiller’s Dried Yeast Market

Objective, Method & Principal findings

  • Sales, Price and Value

Conclusions & Recommendations

Yeast and bioethanol co-product definitions

  • Grain distillers dried yeast – GDDY
  • Non-grain derived dried yeast by-products from wines and alcohol distilleries
  • Yeast culture

Linkage of GDDY supply to global bioethanol market

  • Europe
  • Brazil and India (CSDDY)
  • USA and China

Product history

GDDY sales – US domestic and global

Price and value

  • End user demand drivers for GDDY
  • Historical pricing
  • Value proposition to the customer for using the product

External dynamics – risks assessment

Producers

  • Modelling of GDDY related production volumes
  • 8 GDDY-related producers
  • 7 sugar cane distillers dried yeast SCDDY producers & processors
  • 10 dried brewery yeast producers and processors
  • Active dried yeasts (direct fed microbials) for animal nutrition
  • 8 suppliers

Product Substitution

  • 14 yeast products somewhat similar to GDDY
  • 5 special purpose yeast products
  • Vegetable proteins

Overview of Major Brewery Yeast Players

Contact reports

  • 18 producers of inactive yeast related products
  • 13 potential end users
  • 7 suppliers and traders

Patents and Technology Innovations

News

  • 12 general news articles
  • 4 DDGS & added value processing articles
  • 8 yeast and its co-products in animal feed articles
  • 3 biodiesel and other competing product substrates articles
  • 5 fermentation end product butanol as alternative to ethanol articles
  • 9 technology innovations relating to bioethanol production
  • 18 2nd generation bioethanol articles

Have a look at our PowerPoint Introduction and Brochure describing deliverables, differentiators and case studies. You can also review eight case studies.

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