Nunhems BV and Unilever Collaborate to Create New Tomato Varieties

07/02/07 Nunhems BV, Bayer CropScience’s vegetable seed business, has signed an agreement with Unilever to co-develop new tomato varieties with added benefits in taste, nutrition and health. The agreement includes the formation of a shared research, development and business platform for innovative tomato varieties as well as the acquisition of Unilever´s tomato seed business by Nunhems. Financial terms of this agreement were not disclosed.

Prof. Dr. Berschauer, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer CropScience commented: "The agreement with Unilever is a further consistent step in our strategy to find new product solutions for the food value-added chain. By cooperating with Unilever, we can thus contribute to improve nutrition and health of the consumers."

"With Unilever’s R&D and consumer insights, and Nunhems expertise in vegetable seed genetics, this partnership is a win-win for both parties", Dr. Orlando de Ponti, Nunhems’ Director of Research & Development commented. "We look forward to the growth that this agreement will offer to our global tomato portfolio."

Emmo Meijer, Senior Vice President Unilever Foods R&D, commented: "This agreement is a demonstration of Unilever's open innovation strategy. By joining forces with expert companies like Nunhems, Unilever secures world-class technology and increases its innovation rate in line with our Vitality Strategy. The tomato development technologies that we will co-develop with Nunhems will allow us to provide tasty and healthy products for consumers around the world."