Who We Are - Green Plains

We are rapidly transforming into the biorefinery platform of the future, harnessing the potential of our resources, technology and people.

Highlighted statistics about biorefineries, corn processed, biofuel and employee count

Transformation. It’s what we do every day when we convert a kernel of corn into sustainable products to help meet the global demand for high-value feed ingredients, specialty alcohols and low-carbon fuel. We are in the midst of a broader transformation extracting even more low-carbon ingredients from the same annually renewable crops. Our suite of proprietary technologies and industry partnerships makes our broad transformation possible. We are leading the way in producing sustainable ingredients to meet the demands of a growing world.

Our transformation includes deploying our patented, world-class mechanical and process technology at each of our locations, while combining the knowledge and resources of exclusive strategic partnerships with our expertise in fermentation to develop nutritious, valuable ingredients that make a positive global impact.

We are reducing our operating expenses, expanding our ability to isolate the highest-value proteins for use in feed ingredients in pet, aquaculture and other high-value markets and producing higher-value alcohols to meet global demand—all while capturing more low-carbon corn oil from each kernel to serve the rapidly expanding renewable diesel market.

Our goal is to transform our entire platform by 2024-25, and we believe each fully executed initiative will result in a growing financial contribution.

Green Plains 2.0

Our Strategy

We utilize our experience in agribusiness and fermentation, along with our status as a leader in biorefining, to push technological advancement and innovation in our ingredient sectors. Every day we work to create more value from fewer resources, seize meaningful opportunities for our company, and innovate ingredients to meet our customers’ needs, all while serving as stewards of the environment.

Our Purpose

We leverage innovative, patented technology to create sustainable ingredients for feed, fuel, specialty alcohols and synthetic biology that have a meaningful impact on our customers, the environment and a growing global population.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

We are committed to serving as true stewards of the environment, continuously exploring opportunities to improve the outlook for our planet. We partner with a growing range of stakeholders to meet a variety of standards for sustainability, including SASB and United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Our Businesses

In all we do, transportation, technology, trade, trials or elsewhere, we’re focused on value.

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Our History

Green Plains began operating in 2007 in Shenandoah, Iowa. The following year, Todd Becker was named President and CEO. Under his vision and leadership, Green Plains rapidly grew to become one of the largest biofuel producers in the world.

Adding Value to Agriculture

From 2007 to 2017, we invested significant capital in increasing our footprint well beyond biofuel production and strategically acquiring assets and related businesses. This initiative vertically integrated Green Plains up and down the agricultural value chain.

By the end of 2017, our business had grown to include: 17 ethanol production facilities, the fourth-largest cattle feeding operation in the United States, Green Plains Partners, and Fleischmann’s Vinegar — one of the largest vinegar manufacturers in the world.

Meeting Demand for High Protein

In 2018, we recognized the need to continue feeding a growing world without jeopardizing the environment. So, we developed and launched our Portfolio Optimization Plan, which increased operational efficiency and made high-protein ingredients our focus. By the end of the year, we had begun divesting assets that no longer aligned with our new strategy, reduced our debt and implemented a plan to completely transform our business.

Focusing on new technologies and building strategic partnerships quickly put Green Plains on the path to becoming a low-cost biorefinery and a large-scale producer of high-protein ingredients. By mid-2020, our Shenandoah, Iowa, biorefinery shipped its first load of Ultra-High Protein. The innovative production technology is now operational at our Wood River, Nebraska, location, and under construction at three more.

Producing Essential Ingredients for an Evolving World

As we move into the next phase of our transformation, we remain committed to leading the production of high-protein feed ingredients and renewable, low-carbon biofuels and feedstocks. In addition, we are proactive in doing our part to support immediate global needs, including the production of industrial-grade alcohol for hand sanitizer and disinfectants and supplying renewable corn oil as a low-carbon feedstock for renewable diesel and biodiesel. We also are developing and deploying clean sugar technology for commercial-scale dry mills, to serve as a low-carbon feedstock for the growing bio-economy – renewable chemicals, synthetic biology and bio-plastics.

Our strategy for long-term success centers on expanding our biorefining technology, knowledge and partnerships to make a positive impact on people, animals and the environment.