Loders Croklaan’s long history and expertise in specialty oils began in the 1800s with two separate companies; the Dutch Crok and Laan, and the British Loders & Nucoline. Crok and Laan’s early specialty was linseed oil but, over the years, expanded into oils and fats for the soap, margarine and biscuit industries. After the Second World War, the company worked intensively on developing specialty fats to replace expensive cocoa butter, and fats to use in consumer margarine products. In 1950, Loders invented the first vegetable fat that was compatible with cocoa butter for confectionery and baking applications.

Loders & Nucoline began processing vegetable oils and fats for the biscuit and confectionery trades in the United Kingdom in 1887, and also grew to become a great innovator in the field. Coconut stearine was the first of Loder’s many ‘specialties’. Another milestone was the introduction of Cocoa Butter Equivalents (CBEs) in the mid-1950s, and the related solvent fractionation process, which was unique to Loders & Nucoline for many years. A gradual integration of the companies’ activities eventually led to their full amalgamation in 1987 as Loders Croklaan. 

Since then, Loders Croklaan has gone from strength to strength, winning twice the prestigious FIE Award for the most innovative ingredient and making many technological breakthroughs.

In 2002, Loders Croklaan became part of IOI Corporation Berhad of Malaysia. The takeover created considerable new synergies, and IOI Loders Croklaan is now focusing its expertise and experience in lipid solutions on palm oil. In 2004, IOI Loders Croklaan announced the construction of Europe’s largest palm oil processing plant in Rotterdam. With the purchase of the Malaysian palm oil specialties company, Soctek, in 2004, IOI Loders Croklaan has consolidated its position at the cutting edge of the expanding palm ingredients market.