# Industrial enzymes: Feedstocks

Why cheap sugar matters far less than clever strains

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/feedstocks/

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](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/maize/) | not published | carbon and nitrogen source | small share of sales value (indicative) | indicative |
| [Su Sugar](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sugar/) | not published | carbon source | small (indicative) | indicative |
| [Soy Soybeans](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/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 Maize](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/maize/)[Su Sugar](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sugar/)

#### What it is made into

| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| [Fd Food and feed additives](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/) | enzymes are part of the food and feed additive family |
| [Srf Surfactants](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/) | detergent enzymes cut surfactant and heat needs |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/links/index.md)