COMMISSIONER SID MILLER ANNOUNCES HISTORIC REVIVAL OF CANE SUGAR REFINING IN TEXAS

Santa Rosa’s reopening of the mill and new refinery aims to restore Texas’s sugar cane industry

AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today announced his support for Santa Rosa Sugar LLC, a collaboration between Bizos Cavallo, Vera International, and Verax Commodities, as they lead the effort to restore Texas’s sugarcane industry. The partnership has signed a purchase agreement to acquire the assets of Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers, Inc., setting the stage for a new era of agricultural and economic development.

“Sugarcane has been part of Texas agriculture for over a century,” Commissioner Miller said. “At its peak, the industry supported thousands of jobs, covered over 40,000 acres in the Rio Grande Valley, and contributed over $100 million annually to Texas. When the mill closed in 2024, it wasn’t just a plant shutting down; it was a way of life for farm families, rural workers, and communities. The economic and cultural losses were profound. Restoring sugarcane means jobs, community revitalization, and preserving an important part of Texas’s agricultural history.”

For many, the 2024 closure of the mill marked the end of sugarcane production in Texas, something most believed would never return. Santa Rosa Sugar is proving otherwise. Through advanced technology and modern farming practices, the company is laying the foundation to revive over 130 sugar farms across the Rio Grande Valley, ensuring a sustainable and thriving future for growers and their communities while securing a sustainable future for Texas sugar.

Public records show the original shutdown impacted 1,100 to 2,900 total jobs, including 735 to 1,435 direct farm and mill positions. Restarting the Santa Rosa mill is expected to bring these jobs back and create new growth throughout the region.

• Phase I in 2025 includes land acquisition, infrastructure evaluation, continuing the re-engagement with local growers that began earlier this year to rebuild the supply chain, and the early restart of packaging and distributing sugar to U.S. markets, including Texas and beyond.
• Phase II from 2025 through 2026 will focus on scaling grower networks, upgrading water systems with advanced recycling technologies, and preparing for refinery construction.
• Phase III from 2026 through 2028 will include workforce expansion, relaunch of the mill, and the start of production for all commercial and retail sugar types, including crystal, liquid, and powdered sugar.
• Phase IV from 2028 onward will expand acreage, fully integrate production, and establish nationwide distribution.

The effort is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs and thousands of permanent jobs, revitalizing surrounding communities and supporting a wide range of regional industries.

“This project proves that what many thought could not be done is now happening,” said Mario Tobon, principal and board member of Santa Rosa Sugar. “Along with founders Elvin Thibodeaux, Taylor Henderson, and Dylan Still, we are committed to restoring this industry, bringing back hundreds of family farms, and building a sustainable future for Texas sugar.”

Commissioner Miller added, “The reopening of the sugar cane business in Texas will stand as a testament to resilience thanks to the leadership of Santa Rosa Sugar. This project will spark new sugar planting, create jobs, and resurrect the proud and historic Texas sugar industry.”

About Santa Rosa Sugar

Santa Rosa Sugar LLC is a partnership among three companies. Bizos Cavallo, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, bizoscavallo.com. Vera International, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, verainternational.com. Verax Commodities, a global sugar company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, veraxcommodities.com.

Together, they are developing the only fully integrated cane sugar operation in the state of Texas, designed to restore the region’s farming network and secure a sustainable sugar supply for both commercial and retail markets. For investment opportunities, grower partnerships, and updates, visit santarosasugar.us.