C&H Sugar
| Company type | Stock corporation (since 1993) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sugar processing and distribution |
| Predecessor | Agricultural cooperative (1921–1993) |
| Founded | 1906 |
| Fate | Acquired by American Sugar Refining in 2006 |
| Headquarters | Crockett, California , United States |
Area served | Western United States, limited eastern seaboard presence |
| Products | Cane sugar (white granulated, brown, baker’s sugar, powdered sugar, organic options) |
| Owner | American Sugar Refining |
Number of employees | More than 450 (at Crockett refinery) |
| Parent | American Sugar Refining |
| Website | www |
California and Hawaiian Sugar Company (commonly known as C&H Sugar) is a U.S.-based firm specializing in sugar processing and distribution. Established initially as a cooperative in 1921, the company confronted market downturns and underwent ownership transitions during the late 1900s. In 2017, its refinery located in Crockett, California completed its final batch of sugar derived from Hawaiian plantations but continues to manufacture sugar sourced elsewhere. The Crockett plant employs more than 450 workers and provides around 14% of the cane sugar consumed in the United States.
History
C&H was founded in 1906 and operated from 1921 until 1993 as an agricultural cooperative owned by the major Hawaiian sugar companies. Its main office remains situated in Crockett, California, positioned beneath the Carquinez Bridge.
In 1993, ownership interests were sold by the member companies to Alexander & Baldwin based in Honolulu, marking C&H’s transition from a cooperative model to a stock corporation. Five years later, Alexander & Baldwin transferred a majority share to Citicorp Venture Capital (CVC), while retaining a 40% stake. Subsequently, in 2006, American Sugar Refining (ASR)—which is controlled by Florida Crystals and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida—acquired C&H and merged it into its broader sugar operations. Despite these structural shifts, C&H faced declining financial performance due to decreasing sugar prices coupled with increasing labor expenses well into the new millennium.
Products and market
The C&H brand holds a prominent position within its markets, particularly recognized for its exclusive use of cane sugar, which some consumers prefer over beet sugar varieties. The product lineup includes white granulated sugar, brown sugar, baker’s (superfine) sugar, powdered sugar, as well as organic options.
C&H primarily serves regions west of the Mississippi River across the United States, with a more limited footprint on the eastern seaboard. Numerous restaurants, bakeries, and hotels receive direct shipments to areas where local distribution networks are less accessible. The company markets over seventy different grades, types, and packaging formats spanning both retail grocery and industrial sectors, processing an estimated annual volume of sugar.
Historically reliant on Hawaiian sugarcane for refining at its Crockett facility, C&H faced challenges from international competitors such as producers in Brazil and Vietnam. As a result, the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company ended its final cane harvest and refinery operations in 2016 due to profitability concerns. Plans have been made to convert former Hawaiian plantation lands toward cultivating alternative crops including sorghum and biofuel feedstocks.
See also
External links
- Sugar companies of the United States
- Sugar industry of Hawaii
- Agricultural cooperatives in the United States
- Business in Hawaii
- Companies based in Contra Costa County, California
- American companies established in 1906
- Food and drink companies established in 1906
- 1906 establishments in California
- 1906 establishments in Hawaii
- Economy of the Western United States
- Food and drink in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Food and drink companies based in California
- Cooperatives based in California
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment