| Letter to Shareholders |
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A PROVEN STRATEGY
Bunge has long implemented a strategy
to maximize the growth potential of our
business, enhance efficiency, serve our
customers better and leverage our unique
operating model. We continue to pursue
these ends.
As the company has grown and developed,
we have refined our approach. We have
launched global initiatives and expanded our
vision to include new value chains. Today, we
articulate our strategy by dividing it into four
components: 1. Strengthen core businesses,
2. Leverage existing positions to enter
complementary value chains, 3. Enhance
efficiency and customer focus to compete at
the highest level, 4. Utilize our decentralized
and, at the same, integrated operating model
for competitive advantage.
STRENGTHEN CORE BUSINESSES
Bunge has strong positions in each of its core
businesses: agribusiness, fertilizer and food
products. We are a leader in oilseed processing
globally, fertilizer manufacturing in South
America and edible oil sales in key markets
around the world. We continue to invest in
these businesses and to capitalize on the
growth potential inherent in each.
Agribusiness
In agribusiness we are expanding our network
of oilseed processing and storage assets,
which include soybean, rapeseed, canola and
sunseed facilities in the Americas, Europe and
Asia. In 2007, we purchased a majority interest
in a soybean processing plant in the Chinese
city of Tianjin, and we continued to enhance
facilities in North America. Recently, we
announced the planned construction of a
new plant in Brazil.
Bunge's grain origination business performed
exceptionally well in 2007, and we are
committed to becoming a world leader in that
value chain. Key steps to achieving this goal
will be the growth of origination and logistics
operations in North America and Eastern
Europe, and the expansion of our global
logistics and destination marketing capabilities. 2007 saw Bunge secure the rights to coordinate all agricultural shipments through the Port of Brunswick, Georgia, in the United States. When compared to constructing a large new terminal in Santos, Brazil, which we did over the past several years, the Brunswick arrangement is relatively small, but its size belies its importance. By increasing our capabilities on the East Coast, the agreement will provide another point through which we can supply U.S. exports to the Mediterranean and Latin America.
Fertilizer
Because it is one of the few areas in the world that can accommodate significant agricultural production growth, Brazil is one of the world's most promising fertilizer markets. To serve this growing demand, access to raw material supply is paramount. As a large domestic phosphate producer and vertically integrated company, Bunge is strategically positioned in several ways. First, we have a dedicated and efficient local phosphate supply. Second, because fertilizer prices in Brazil are linked
to the prices of international imports, which include the cost of ocean freight, local production allows for stronger margins that improve when international prices increase. Third, our integration allows for efficiency.
We are making progress on a long-term program to expand our local phosphate mining capacity, and we are increasing our raw material supply in other ways. In 2007, we announced a joint venture with Office Cherifien des Phosphates (OCP) in Morocco, which holds one of the world's largest phosphate reserves. The venture will provide a new source of raw materials and intermediate fertilizer products for use in Bunge's businesses and for sale in Latin America. Facilities are under construction now, and we expect the first volumes of phosphoric acid to be produced later this year. As volumes increase, we will begin integrating shipments into our ocean freight logistics network, which should contribute to overall efficiency since we import fertilizer raw materials to Brazil on the same ships that we use to export agricultural products.
Food Products
Bunge's food products strategy calls for extending our presence in packaged oil, margarine and mayonnaise in select markets. Last year we launched a regional packaged oil brand in China. We also acquired consumer vegetable oil brands in Romania and a food service brand in Brazil consisting of margarines, pre-mixes and food additives. In early 2008, we announced an agreement to purchase the assets and brands of Walter Rau, a leading German margarine producer. We also intend to strengthen our positions in Brazilian wheat and U.S. corn dry milling.
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