Implementations of the disclosed subject matter provide methods for producing ethylene glycol from a carbohydrate feed may include contacting, in a first reactor under hydrogenation conditions, the carbohydrate feed with a bi-functional catalyst system. The bi-functional catalyst system may include a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst, and a soluble retro-Aldol catalyst. The carbohydrate feed may include a concentration of carbohydrate, in the total solution entering the first reactor, of 5-40 wt % in a solvent. An intermediate product stream may be obtained from the first reactor including ethylene glycol. The hydrogenation conditions may include a temperature in the range of from 180-250° C.