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How Cargill benefited from our expertise in the construction industry

Cargill is a global leader in food, agriculture, and industrial products, active in over 70 countries. When processing fruits, vegetables, and grains into oils, Cargill produces a valuable byproduct: FAME biodiesel. Their recycled solution — Cargill Bio 100 — is already helping reduce emissions at fuel stations across Europe. Now, Cargill aims to extend this impact by exploring new industrial applications. Two sectors stood out in the early market exploration: data centers and construction.

The challenge

Cargill wanted to understand the market potential of Bio 100 in two sectors: data centers and construction.

  • In the data center market, the need for backup power is critical — operations must never go offline. However, environmental regulations are becoming increasingly strict. Could biodiesel be part of the solution?
  • In the construction industry, electrification is a clear trend. But off-grid sites still rely heavily on generators, often running on fossil fuels. This undermines the environmental benefits of electric equipment. Full electrification is expensive and complex, especially on large or remote projects. For construction companies, it’s a constant calculation: invest in electric machines, or keep using what they have — but run it on biodiesel. The challenge was to position Cargill Bio 100 as a smart transitional solution and convince the market of its added value.

What we did

We helped clarify Cargill’s value proposition and build a go-to-market strategy. It turned out very soon that while biodiesel could be part of the solution for data centers, price competition was a barrier that was too difficult to overcome. So we focused on the construction industry.

We started by talking directly to the people making tough decisions on the ground every day:  CEOs, general managers, and sustainability leads. Many of them weren’t just looking for the ideal solution; they were looking for a pragmatic one.

Since Merluno has deep roots in the construction industry, we were able to leverage our network and quickly get to the heart of the market’s needs. We listened closely to energy requirements, operational constraints, and shifting sustainability targets.

This input formed the foundation for a thorough market scan, mapping all relevant use cases within construction — from urban developments to remote infrastructure sites. In parallel, we crafted a tailored value proposition: What value does Bio 100 actually create? What pain points does it solve for various key decision makers? And how can that message be delivered in a way that resonates?

Thanks to our longstanding relationships within the construction niche, we were able to generate immediate traction. Within two months, Cargill was already sitting at the table with potential clients, proving that the right message, delivered to the right people, opens doors fast.

How we did it

In-depth conversations with C-level and sustainability decision makers
Go-to-market scan: Mapping all relevant applications within construction
Value proposition design: Translating the benefits of Bio 100 into tangible value for each stakeholder group
Business development: Delivered warm leads directly to Cargill’s sales team
Sales training: Supported onboarding of a new sales hire through shadowing and training on outreach and prospecting techniques

The Results

Shortly after launching the go-to-market strategy and thanks to Merluno, Cargill signed its very first construction customer: Algemene Bouwwerken Maes, with more deals quickly following. The success confirmed the power of deep sector expertise — and the trust that comes from knowing the right people.

Following this success, the same approach was replicated in Germany, where Cargill again saw strong results using the same method.

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