About Zilor

Zilor is one of the largest privately held companies in Brazil’s sugar-energy industry. We produce sugar, ethanol, renewable bioenergy, and natural ingredients for the food and animal nutrition industries, all derived from sugarcane processing.

Zilor is the majority shareholder of Copersucar, holding a 12.0% stake in the world’s largest sugar and ethanol trading company, operating in more than 70 countries. A recognized leader in social and environmental management, Zilor adopts sustainable practices such as 100% mechanized harvesting and invests in social initiatives focused on education, culture, health, safety, and the environment – driving development in the communities where it operates.

Crushing Capacity: 13.8 million tons of sugarcane

Our operations are based at 4 industrial units – São José, Barra Grande, Quatá, and Salto Botelho – all located in the state of São Paulo.

We cultivate sugarcane across approximately 207,000 hectares, including 35,000 hectares of company-owned land. The remaining areas are either leased or cultivated through our Agricultural Partnership model or direct operations in the Lençóis Paulista, Quatá and Lucélia regions.

Our operations generate positive environmental and social impacts and are aligned with the global demand for clean energy, renewable fuel, and healthy, naturally sourced food for animal nutrition.

Agribusiness Division

Sugar and Ethanol
We process sugarcane to produce sugar and ethanol, and we export bioenergy generated from sugarcane biomass - a clean and renewable energy source.
Bioenergy
Our bioenergy is generated from sugarcane biomass, a sustainable source that meets 100% of Zilor’s electricity and steam needs. The surplus is sold to distribution utilities (regulated market) and energy traders (free and spot markets). This process not only provides clean energy but also contributes to expanding the share of renewables in Brazil’s national energy matrix.
Yeasts for Animal Nutrition
Zilor is also active in the Natural Ingredients segment, producing yeast-based solutions for animal nutrition that support performance, health, and well-being. A key differentiator is Zilor’s full control of its production chain. With certified raw materials sourced internally from Zilor (Bonsucro certified), it guarantees traceability of the entire process, from yeast cultivation to the finished product, providing greater security for the customer.

Learn more about our Business Models

Lands

The company-owned land – 35,000 hectares registered under Companhia Agrícola Quatá – with a market value of R$ 4 billion as of the end of the 2023/2024 harvest. This land is cultivated either directly by Zilor or through Agricultural Partnerships, with production sent to the Quatá, São José, and Barra Grande mills for the production of sugar, ethanol, and bioenergy.

The remaining leased land – about 207,000 hectares – is managed through Açucareira Quatá and granted to farming partners through our exclusive Agricultural Partnership Program, which promotes sugarcane cultivation primarily in the Lençóis Paulista and Lucélia regions.

Stake in Biorigin S.A.

Zilor holds a 30% stake in Biorigin S.A., a company that develops natural, yeast-based ingredients for the food industry. The remaining 70% is owned by Lesaffre, a French multinational with over a century of expertise in fermentation. This strategic partnership combines the complementary strengths of both companies to deliver innovative, natural yeast-derived solutions to the food sector.

Our Units

Zilor operates four production units in the interior of São Paulo state: Barra Grande (Lençóis Paulista), São José (Macatuba), Quatá and Salto Botelho (Lucélia)

The sugarcane processed in our industrial units is cultivated in accordance with best environmental and occupational safety practices.

In Quatá and Salto Botelho, planting and harvesting are carried out by in-house teams. In São José and Barra Grande, sugarcane is supplied by both internal operations and Agricultural Partners, who manage crops on their own or leased land.

Agricultural Partnership Program

Launched over 20 years ago, Zilor’s Agricultural Partnership Program is a pioneering model that fosters inclusion, income generation and distribution, and sustainable local economic growth.

Through long-term contracts ranging from 6 to 12 years – enough to cover up to 2 sugarcane planting cycles – producers operate under our Commitment to Socioenvironmental Conduct and Performance, which outlines best practices to ensure business integrity, fair labor conditions, and environmental stewardship.

All sugarcane harvested by our partners is delivered to Zilor for sugar and ethanol production.

Program Benefits:

Increased efficiency in sugarcane production
Lower fixed costs
Reduced production structure / CAPEX
Improved EBITDA stability
Reduced exposure to commodity price volatility

Partner-supplied cane accounts for approximately 2/3 of Zilor’s total crushing volume
20+ years of partnership history
100% of partners evaluated for social and environmental performance

Commercial Model and its benefits – Copersucar

Zilor markets its sugar and ethanol through Copersucar, in which it is a majority shareholder, allowing Zilor to focus on production efficiency.

Benefits of this model

Access to Brazil’s largest storage infrastructure for sugar and ethanol
Participation in an open, integrated platform with a vast business network that fosters collaboration, creates synergies, and drives innovation
Scalable, flexible, and efficient logistics for sugar
Multimodal logistics platform for ethanol

Copersucar is Brazil’s largest sugar, ethanol, and bioenergy trading company – and one of the world’s leading exporters in the sector. This model enhances global distribution, reduces counterparty risk, and facilitates access to working capital financing.

Click here to learn more about Copersucar