Palm oil agreement to increase Europe’s sustainable supply

23-Jun-2013 - Last updated on 24-Jun-2013 at 12:11 GMT

A new European palm oil supply agreement should make it easier for companies to source 100% segregated palm oil across the continent, say the companies behind the deal.

New Britain Palm Oil (NBPOL) and Olenex – a joint venture between ADM and Wilmar International – have entered an agreement to supply 350,000 tonnes of fully traceable segregated palm oil per year to ADM and Wilmar facilities in the UK, and to supply ADM’s German facility.

A company spokesperson told FoodNavigator that the collaboration would supply about 10% of the palm oil used by the food industry in Europe each year, making it easier for manufacturers to source segregated, traceable palm oil fractions and derivatives.

The oil will be supplied from NBPOL’s plantations, certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), and will be marketed and sold throughout Europe by Olenex, from its facilities in Liverpool and London in the UK, and Hamburg in Germany.

“This agreement will help food companies and retailers deliver on their targets of only using 100% sustainable palm oil in the future,” said executive director of New Britain Palm Oil Alan Chaytor.

The companies said in a statement that the agreement provided ‘unprecedented’ supply chain collaboration, and would offer a wide range of palm oil fractions and locations in Europe.

“The European market will benefit from the significant increase in availability of RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil fractions and derivatives, the shortage of which has been blamed for the limited adoption of sustainable palm oil in the past,” they said.

CSR director for the Ferrero Group Arduino Borgogno commented: “The collaboration of ADM, Wilmar, NBPOL and Olenex to provide a truly sustainable segregated supply of palm oil in most fractions will help companies like Ferrero continue to purchase their ingredients in a responsible manner ahead of target."