VIENNA, AUSTRIA — Fruit, starch and sugar group Agrana is expanding its distribution activities in the starch segment with the acquisition of Marroquin Organic International Inc., a Santa Cruz, Calif.-based distributor of organic and non-G.M.O. ingredients.

Marroquin Organic International is a long-standing partner of Agrana with more than $20 million in annual revenue.

“Marroquin Organic International is a pioneer in the organic and non-G.M.O. food ingredient sector in the U.S. and enjoys a correspondingly high reputation in the market,” said Johann Marihart, chief executive officer at Agrana. “This acquisition is a perfect fit in terms of implementing our specialties strategy in the starch segment. Agrana possesses many years of experience in the production of specialty starches and is increasingly focusing on baby food and clean label starches, which have not been chemically modified. The organic origins and non-G.M.O. status of our products are increasingly appreciated by customers and users alike, particularly in the U.S. where, with starch largely being based on genetically-modified corn, demand for non-G.M.O. starches is rising.”

Agrana’s starch segment offers a variety of products made from potato, corn and wheat. The company has three starch mills in Austria and two production sites in Hungary and Romania.