Sugar is that sweet, addictive substance that we simply cannot get enough of. However, most people end up eating refined white sugar instead of the good stuff that we provide. It is crucial to understand the sugar manufacturing process because that can showcase the major differences between what we make and the competition (or lack of). Organic sugar offers plenty of advantages compared to white sugar, and it makes a big difference in your health. It is one of the many reasons why we decided that organic sugar was the way to go. Organic sugar is also better for the environment.
At Big Country, we started our journey as an organic sugar company, producing high-quality cane sugar that is better for people and the planet. Our commitment to organic practices set us apart, offering a healthier and more sustainable choice compared to the typical refined white sugar you find on grocery shelves. This dedication to organic ingredients is what eventually led us to transition into what we are today—a company that crafts refreshing, organic hard seltzer and beer, using the same high standards we started with.
Keep reading to learn more about a key ingredient in making our hard seltzers. Note: our organic hard seltzers contain 0 grams of sugar.
Why Organic Sugar?
Organic crops don't use any chemical pesticides or herbicides. It means you get a much better product in your pantry. It also means our products are more eco-friendly and good for the environment. You don't have to worry about us using genetically modified organisms, as well. Our organic sugar is rich in nutrients, meaning that it is a lot better for you than other options you could have. You will see once we explain how the manufacturing process works. Many of the steps are similar, but you start to see how manufacturing our organic cane sugar happens.
It Starts with Good Sugarcane
What is cane sugar? Most of the sugar you see today is made from sugar beets. It is a crop that has been bred specifically for its high sugar content. This plant would not be possible without modern breeding processes, and it has a much worse nutrient profile than what you would get from sugarcane. Sugarcane is a natural plant grown in tropical areas. It is organic because it doesn't need any pesticides or herbicides to grow. It also contains many nutrients along with the sugar you get from it. The first step is to grow the sugarcane and then harvest it.
Harvesting Sugarcane
After the sugarcane crop has reached maturity, it is time for the farmer to start the harvesting process. Before that can begin, the sugarcane crop is burned. The burning process removes a lot of the green material that cannot be used in producing sugar. After the burning has been completed, you are left with the actual sugarcane that will be turned into sugar. Depending on the area, the sugarcane is either harvested by hand or with machinery. It then travels from the field to the sugar production facility, where the process of turning it into brown sugar begins.
So, what is brown sugar? You’ve probably noticed that the majority of sugar on the shelves inside your supermarket is in the form of white sugar. For now, you can note that brown sugar is simply that pure, unprocessed version of white sugar. It is white sugar before all the nutrients have been removed, essentially.
Turning Sugarcane Into Brown Sugar
After the sugarcane arrives at the processing plant, the first step is to extract the juice. The sugarcane stalk is rolled through grinders that separate the juice from it. Manufacturers are now left with pure cane juice with a few impurities. The juice is then boiled off to form a brown, concentrated syrup called molasses, which leaves you with unpurified brown sugar. It’s at this step that workers stop the process and package everything up – brown sugar undergoes less processing than white sugar, allowing it to retain that rich molasses and natural brown color.
Brown sugar has all the nutrients and minerals you would expect from sugarcane, and it is even lower on the glycemic index. That means it raises your blood sugar a lot more slowly, making it a better choice for people with diabetes. Our powdered sugar, on the other hand, requires a little bit more processing, but it is still significantly better than the commercial products you see today.
Making Powdered Sugar
The process starts in the same way that brown sugar gets processed. However, we must remove the molasses and do extra processing on the brown sugar. Turning brown sugar into granulated sugar requires some extra filtering. This is the white sugar you see on the shelves in most supermarkets. From here, the white granulated sugar is ground up into an even finer powder. At this point, our powdered sugar gets packaged and is ready for sale.
Above all, you can rest assured knowing that our products come directly from organic sugarcane. Since the raw materials used to make our sugar are better, you can count on the final product being better – for both you and the environment.
A Commitment to Quality, From Start to Finish
At Big Country, we believe that the best products come from the best ingredients. Just as we did when we started out as an organic sugar company, we’re committed to making our drinks as pure and natural as possible. From our careful sourcing of organic sugarcane to our fermentation process, we ensure that every sip of our hard seltzer and beer is as refreshing and clean as it gets.
Our journey may have started with organic sugar, but it’s grown into something bigger. Now, we offer a one-of-a-kind experience with our lineup of organic beverages—crafted with the same care, attention, and commitment to sustainability that have always defined Big Country.
