The minister of the interior presents to the emperor of beet sugar. Engraving early 19th century. At this time; a blockade prevents the arrival of cane sugar from the colonies in France. Napoleon 1er encourages French industrialists to look for another way to produce sugar. At his Passy refinery; Delessert managed in 1812 to extract sugar from white beet and to start industrial production of this ??new sugar??