Mexico’s demand for U.S. distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS) reached a record 2.5 million metric tons in the MY 2023/24, surpassing the prior high of 2.3 million metric tons in MY 2021/22 (value $655 million). The Council’s promotion efforts significantly contributed to this long-term growth market.
In 2024, the Council advanced its efforts by unlocking new value applications for corn fermented protein (CFP), a high-value co-product derived from DDGS through further processing to concentrate protein and yeast components, integrated into its Mexico portfolio following market exploration launched in 2021.
Using Market Access Program (MAP) funds, the Council secured $2.02 million in CFP sales, contributing to $11.2 million in total DDGS and CFP sales to Mexico’s aquaculture and dairy sectors. Export Exchange 2024 served as the catalyst for these sales agreements, celebrated as a milestone and set to expand into 2025, strengthening U.S. agricultural exports.
At Export Exchange 2024, the Council contributed to several CFP and DDGS contracts by linking U.S. suppliers with Mexican buyers. Dairy giant Lala/Nuplen contracted 600 MT of CFP ($260,000) and 30,830 MT of DDGS ($9.16 million), while Grupo Acuicola Mexicano (GAM) purchased 2,500 MT of CFP ($1.5 million) for its intensive shrimp farms.
At CONACUA 2024, with aquaculture consultant Ronnie Tan, the Council facilitated another 600 MT CFP deal ($260,000) with Grupo Ary, Mexico’s second-largest shrimp producer in Sonora.
Through feed producer association engagements and partnerships with U.S. suppliers, the Council ensured these agreements would continue to drive growth into 2025.
The Council’s CFP program delivers substantial value for its members and the wider agricultural industry through high-value contracts with buyers like GAM and Grupo Ary, while continuing to build on the traditional and record DDGS successes in the wider feed and livestock sectors.
The Council invested $90,000 in support of Export Exchange and CONACUA programming, yielding export sales of $11.2 million, resulting in a ROI of $124 for every $1 of MAP funds invested.