why partner?
Our industry is complex. As global trade increases, more commodity food products are moving among more parties and across greater distances. Small disruptions can cause large movements in price, affect freight availability or change risk management equations. At the same time, concern over food and feed safety is increasing the need for reliable and traceable supply chains; and new premium products are creating independent markets that can stretch from farm to consumer.

Bunge has a track record of forming partnerships with customers and others to develop the products, skills and technologies to meet these challenges.

A history of strong relationships with farmers anchors our entire business. In addition to buying crops, we provide farmers with market access and intelligence. In Brazil, where Bunge is the largest fertilizer manufacturer, we supply farmers with a full portfolio of products and services, including crop nutrients and chemicals, agronomic services and financing.

For commodity customers, Bunge creates long-term supply arrangements that can include trade structured financing and risk management services. We also operate identity preservation (IP) systems.

FARM FIELD, BRAZIL

When, in 2001, retailers in the United Kingdom began requesting poultry fed with non-biotech soybean meal, Bunge responded. We created a hard-IP system that delivers non-biotech meal from Brazil to our warehouse in Tilbury, England, and on to customers with complete security and traceability. Since its inception, we have more than doubled the annual volume of product sold through the system.

spotlight on oils
Growing demand for reduced trans fat foods among consumers and a 2006 U.S. trans fat labeling law are driving companies to find alternatives that minimize these fats while preserving taste. Developing oils that can accomplish this at the right price is a major challenge.

Bunge has moved to provide customers with solutions. We have developed a portfolio of products that reduce or virtually eliminate trans fats and can be used in baking, frying and confectionary applications. These products have been created through a variety of means, including the use of advanced seeds like high-oleic canola, special oil blends and new manufacturing processes.

The centerpiece of our efforts is NUTRIUM™ low-linolenic soybean oil, which was developed through our alliance with DuPont.* NUTRIUM contains less than three percent linolenic acid, making it naturally stable and eliminating the need for partial hydrogenation when it is used as a frying oil. We expect to produce one billion pounds of NUTRIUM by 2009.

Bunge and DuPont's collaboration on NUTRIUM epitomizes the way in which partnerships can benefit customer service and quality. By linking DuPont's plant science with Bunge's agribusiness and oilseed processing operations, and by contracting with farmers to grow low-lin soybeans, the alliance mobilizes the entire food production chain for the customer's benefit.

A partnership with customers is also essential. Developing and marketing an oil like NUTRIUM is not just about processing, packaging and shipping. It requires intensive cooperation between supplier and customer to ensure that oil performance is ideal, that the taste and appearance of trusted brands remain true to consumer expectations, and that all of these things are achieved economically.

projected nutrium™ production3				global agricultural trade4

*NUTRIUM™ is a trademark of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.; ³ Bunge; ⁴ USDA