Buyers searching for Brazilian sugar meet the same terms again and again — VHP and ICUMSA 45. They are not competing products; they are two points on the same refining chain. Choosing the right one starts with what you do with the sugar.
It comes down to the ICUMSA colour scale
ICUMSA is a colour rating: the lower the number, the whiter and more refined the sugar. Raw VHP sits high on the scale (it is brown); ICUMSA 45 is the bright-white, fully refined grade for direct consumption.
VHP (Very High Polarization) raw sugar
VHP is the raw, refining-grade cane sugar Brazil ships to refineries worldwide. It polarizes very high (typically 99.3–99.5°) but still carries the natural colour of cane. Refineries decolourize and crystallize it into their own white sugar. If you run a refinery or need the lowest-cost feedstock, VHP is your grade.
ICUMSA 45 refined white sugar
ICUMSA 45 is the finished product: sparkling-white, fully-refined, high-purity sugar for direct human consumption, retail packing and the food and beverage industry. It is the highest-value grade and the one African and Middle Eastern packers most often request by name.
Quick comparison
- VHP — raw, bulk, lowest cost, for refineries.
- ICUMSA 45 — refined, retail-ready, highest value, for packers and food manufacturers.
Frequently asked questions
Is ICUMSA 45 better than VHP?
Neither is 'better' — they serve different buyers. ICUMSA 45 is refined for direct consumption; VHP is raw feedstock for refineries. The right grade depends on whether you refine sugar yourself.
What ICUMSA number is white refined sugar?
Refined white sugar for direct consumption is ICUMSA 45 — the lowest (whitest) common grade; raw VHP sugar is much higher on the colour scale.
Further reading
Source the right sugar grade
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