ROLLE, SWITZERLAND — Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) and Unilever have signed a joint business development plan that should grow ADM’s relationship as an oils and fats supplier to Unilever in Europe, North America and Africa. The plan sets measurable goals around volume, new product development, growth, innovation and sustainability.

“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, senior vice-president and president, Oilseeds for Chicago, Illinois, U.S.-based ADM. “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.”

The two companies already cooperate in other ways. ADM sources and processes sustainable soybeans and supplies Unilever with oil for Hellmann’s mayonnaise through an ADM/Unilever soybean sustainability program in the United States. ADM and Unilever also have a partnership with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) in Europe. The partnership promotes sustainable agricultural practices at the farm level to produce sustainable rapeseed oil for Unilever’s Flora spreads, as well as for Hellmann’s U.K.

“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, vice-president Procurement Commodities, Unilever. “We look forward to continuing to grow and expand our partnership with ADM.”