Unilever and FrieslandCampina Sign Sustainable Dairy Partnership

This Joint Business Development Plan (JBDP) is part of Unilever’s ‘Partner to Win’ programme to work more closely with its key suppliers. The JBDP sets out Unilever’s strategic business plans and provides a clear framework of how Royal FrieslandCampina and Unilever will work together to deliver them over the long term.

29 Oct 2012 --- Unilever and Royal FrieslandCampina have announced a milestone in their partnership with a new agreement to collaboratively grow their business relationship. Both have pledged to work together on development and innovation as well as promoting sustainable production, packaging and logistics.

This Joint Business Development Plan (JBDP) is part of Unilever’s ‘Partner to Win’ programme to work more closely with its key suppliers. The JBDP sets out Unilever’s strategic business plans and provides a clear framework of how Royal FrieslandCampina and Unilever will work together to deliver them over the long term. These include, for example, supporting the delivery of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan commitments, which involve reducing carbon emissions, cost and waste. The two companies will also improve logistics operations by using innovative processes and sharing best practices globally. Royal FrieslandCampina is Unilever’s preferred partner for ingredients used in the business-to-business markets such as butter, butter oil, cream in aerosol cans, as well as ingredients for ice cream, soups and sauces and other foods.

Hans Dröge, Senior Vice president of R&D Operations at Unilever, said the partnership is a prime example of how the firm plans to work with suppliers to help improve environmental performance right across the supply chain and co-create innovations. “For Unilever, it is essential that we work closely together with our strategic suppliers in order to achieve our ambition of doubling the size of the company and halving our environmental impact - we cannot do this alone,” he said. “Royal FrieslandCampina and Unilever have worked together for many years now and both organisations share the same values, passion and goals. This is why we have chosen Royal FrieslandCampina as preferred supplier for dairy and dairy ingredients to support our plans to sustainably grow our business.”

Frank van Ooijen, Director of Sustainability Affairs at FrieslandCampina, remarked that the partnership fits well with the company's sustainability programme, one of the foundations of its route2020 strategy: “Unilever and FrieslandCampina are each seeking growth in Asian and African markets. For both organisations, it’s imperative that expansion is achieved in a sustainable manner. Our member dairy farmers are therefore involved in various projects to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Joining forces will help both Unilever and FrieslandCampina to fulfil their ambitions and to achieve their sustainability goals.”