Industrial enzymes: Feedstocks
Why cheap sugar matters far less than clever strains
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.Enzymes need sugar, nitrogen and power, but feedstock is a small part of their value because they sell at high prices per kg and margins are high (Novonesis adjusted gross margin 59.1% in 2025). What decides competitiveness is strain technology, application know-how and scale, not cheap maize.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mz Maize | not published | carbon and nitrogen source | small share of sales value (indicative) | indicative |
| Su Sugar | not published | carbon source | small (indicative) | indicative |
| Soy Soybeans | not published | nitrogen source | small (indicative) | indicative |
| Electricity and steam | not published | aeration, cooling, sterilisation | significant in production cost (indicative) | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Not a feedstock-driven curve. The leaders' scale, strain yields and application labs give them high margins: Novonesis adjusted gross margin 59.1% and adjusted EBITDA margin 37.1% in 2025 (Novonesis).
Raw materials on the commodity table
Mz MaizeSu SugarWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| Fd Food and feed additives | enzymes are part of the food and feed additive family |
| Srf Surfactants | detergent enzymes cut surfactant and heat needs |