Dive Brief:
- With a new joint business development plan (JBDP), Archer Daniels Midland Co. has agreed to strengthen its ongoing partnership with Unilever as the company's oils and fat supplier in North America, Europe, and Africa.
- In addition to exploring growth and increased volume, the venture seeks to enhance new product development, innovation, and sustainability.
- This development plan builds upon initiatives already in place between the two companies, such as the ADM/Unilever Soybean Sustainability Program in the U.S. and ADM and Unilever’s partnership with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) in Europe.
Dive Insight:
This is another step in Unilever's mission to move toward more sustainable operations and have a more positive social impact. According to ADM senior VP Matt Jansen, "ADM’s end-to-end value chain allows us control of our product flow in ways that few in the industry can offer." This value chain is a perk for Unilever, who is looking to bolster its array of food products while remaining an environmentally conscious company.
This announcement comes just a month after Unilever was in the news for making other significant internal changes, including acquisitions and brand shake-ups.