Unilever has joined forces with Nufarm in a groundbreaking collaboration to cultivate future-forward crops. This venture centers around creating crops with substantial biomass intended for the sustainable production of oils. These oils, rich in fatty acids, will be integral to Unilever’s portfolio, including its laundry detergents and beauty and personal care items.
Unilever is committing a significant financial investment, totaling millions of Euros, into this initiative. The aim is to leverage recent advances in biotechnology to introduce a new, economically feasible type of energy cane, which can also yield biomass oil.
Unilever’s primary objective is to lessen its dependence on petrochemical-based inputs. Neil Parry, heading the biotechnology department at Unilever, articulates this vision: “Our continuous investment in biotechnology seeks to reveal nature’s potential even further and establish a more sustainable and extensive supply chain for the future. Partnering with Nufarm offers a pathway to discover alternative ingredients for our household, beauty, and personal care lines, advancing our commitment to achieve net zero emissions throughout our value chain by the year 2039.”