ADM and Unilever Sign Joint Business Development Plan

06 Jan 2015 --- Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) has signed a Joint Business Development Plan (JBDP) to continue to grow its relationship as an oils and fat supplier for Unilever (NYSE: UN) in Europe, North America and Africa.

The JBDP defines the long-term strategy and goals for the relationship and provides a clear framework for how ADM and Unilever will work together to achieve those objectives. It also sets measurable goals around volume, new product development, growth, innovation and sustainability.

Elissa Bertot, ADM Corporate Marketing and Communications Manager, EMEA, told FoodIngredientsFirst, “The JBDP will engage both companies to work towards Unilever’s goal of 100% sustainable ingredients by 2020 and increase the volume of ADM products that are certified or verified sustainable, or under segregated supply.”

The JDBP will help advance existing cooperation between the two companies, such as the ADM/Unilever Soybean Sustainability Program in the United States, through which ADM sources and processes sustainable soy beans and supplies Unilever with oil for Hellmann’s Mayonnaise; and ADM and Unilever’s partnership with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) in Europe, which promotes sustainable agricultural practices at the farm level to produce sustainable rapeseed oil for Unilever’s Flora spreads, as well as for Hellmann’s UK. The JDBP will also strengthen ADM's existing European sustainability initiatives, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, enhancing the company's supply chain to provide Unilever with more sustainably-produced oils and fats products.

“ADM’s end-to-end value chain allows us control of our product flow in ways that few in the industry can offer,” said Matt Jansen, ADM senior vice president and president, Oilseeds. “Strengthening our existing partnership with Unilever will allow us to build upon those capabilities and leverage our unique supply chain to continue to provide high-quality, sustainable ingredients and innovative solutions to Unilever and their customers.”

“Programs like the ADM/Unilever Soybean Sustainability Program and our joint partnership with LEAF are great examples of how we can creatively work together to deliver unique solutions for sustainable sourcing, and the JBDP will help advance that type of innovation between our companies,” said Amit Mohta, VP Procurement Commodities, Unilever. “We look forward to continuing to grow and expand our partnership with ADM.”

Bertot continued: "To serve customers in Europe, ADM and Wilmar International Limited have established Olenex, a joint venture to sell and market refined vegetable oils and fats to the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. By combining assets and expertise, Olenex is able to better serve customer needs, offering a wider product portfolio, enhanced technical support, improved logistical capabilities and in-depth market intelligence."