Latest blogs

All recent blogs from British Sugar

The Sugar Industry Programme

18 August 2025

Running for the thirteenth time, the Sugar Industry Programme has recently opened for applications to the 2025/26 scheme. Hosted jointly by British Sugar and NFU Sugar, the programme provides an opportunity for sugar beet growers and industry professionals alike to learn more about the wider homegrown sugar industry and take part in training and development.

We spoke to two alumni of the programme about their experiences, and the benefits that their participation has brought to their careers.

Alex Calbon farms alongside his family on the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border and participated in the programme in 2023/24:

“The SIP is something I would highly recommended to anybody currently within the sector wanting to learn more about the sugar industry. It provides an invaluable opportunity to go into detail and learn about the inner workings and processes all the way from seed to processing. Whether you’ve just started working with sugar beet or grown up with it, the programme offers so much to take your understanding to a deeper level.

“The programme truly does cover all aspects from seed priming and coating, to learning about the invaluable work from the BBRO to the processing at one of the British Sugar factories. Alongside this it also shows the behind the scenes work of NFU Sugar and the sugar board, as well as having the opportunity to further yourself personally and professionally by taking part in media training and connecting with those across multiple sectors at the NFU Conference.

“One of my highlights of the SIP had to be travelling to Westminster to help showcase the homegrown sugar industry to MPs and stress the importance of a thriving sugar industry. Another was travelling to the Strube seed house and research centre in Sollingen, Germany. It was really eye opening to the work that goes into the breeding process for new varieties, as well as how Sugar beet is viewed on the continent and the differing challenges that they face.

“The SIP really does offer a huge benefit with regard to making connections with others throughout the different areas of the industry. The programme is open to those across the sugar industry which provides a fantastic opportunity to make connections for life, network and share ideas from different corners of the industry.”

Katrina Pearson, Inbound Operations Manager at British Sugar’s Wissington factory, and 2023/24 SIP delegate, said:

“I’d highly recommend joining the Sugar Industry programme to anyone considering it, because it offers great opportunities for growth and learning within the wider sugar beet industry.

“Some of the highlights for me were the trip to Westminster, attending the NFU conference, and visiting Strube in Germany. These experiences were not only educational but also fascinating, as they highlighted the many different avenues taken to ultimately produce sugar.

“Through the SIP, I have significantly expanded my network, connecting with individuals from a wide range of roles across the beet industry. This has allowed me to form strong, collaborative working relationships.

The programme’s inclusive nature - welcoming participants from all areas within the beet industry - offers a unique opportunity to engage with professionals I might not have otherwise encountered.”