SAO PAULO, BRAZIL — Cargill on Sept. 24 reached agreement to acquire London-based Unilever P.L.C.’s tomato products business in Brazil for approximately 600 million Brazilian reais ($350 million). The acquisition includes Pomarola and Tarantella brand tomato sauce, Elefante and Extratomato brand tomato paste, and Pomodoro brand tomato pulp, as well as Unilever’s tomato manufacturing facility in Goiania. Unilever will continue to market tomato products to the food service segment.

“Acquiring Unilever’s tomato products business exemplifies Cargill’s long-term commitment to growing our business in Brazil by providing a diverse array of products in the food segment,” said Sergio Rial, senior vice-president of Cargill. “This acquisition furthers our objective of becoming a leading food products company in Brazil, with a focus on shelf-stable consumer staple products. Delivering a wider range of products to retailers enables Cargill to improve the point-of-sale service we provide them. In addition, consumers will benefit from Cargill’s commitment to product innovation and quality, and our strong food safety and environmental stewardship practices.”

Marcelo Martins, director of Cargill Foods Brazil, and president of Cargill Agricola S.A., added, “This transaction strengthens Cargill’s global partnership with Unilever. In addition to Unilever being a large global customer of Cargill’s, our new plant in Goiania will supply Unilever in Brazil with tomato products, and Unilever will continue manufacturing other products on the site adjacent to Cargill's operations.”

Cargill Foods Brazil serves retailers, manufacturers, and food service operators in Brazil and exports to a number of regional markets. In retail, Cargill Foods Brazil markets bottled and canned cooking oils under the Liza, Veleiro, Purilev and Mazola brands. Cargill Foods Brazil also produces blended oils under the Olivia and Maria brands, and mayonnaise under the Liza, Maria, Mariana and Gourmet brands. The company is the exclusive distributor of Gallo and La Espanola brand olive oil, Gallo brand olives, and Delverde brand pasta in Brazil. Cargill Foods Brazil operates production sites in Mairinque (Sao Paulo State), Sao Jose do Rio Pardo (Sao Paulo State) and Itumbiara (Goias State).