Cargill’s North American Food Ingredients & Bio-Industrial division has announced that it has signed a long-term strategic agreement with international ingredients distributor Univar. The deal includes an ingredients distribution agreement, which will allow Cargill’s ingredients arm to expand the distribution of its range of starches, sweeteners, cocoa, texturizers and oils to new consumers through Univar’s global distribution network.

The deal also grows Univar’s portfolio of food ingredients brands, allowing Univar to provide new products to its clients in the bakery, prepared foods, meat, poultry, seafood, snacks, dairy and beverage industries. Cargill will also benefit from access to Univar’s team of consultive industry experts, who will provide recommendations and advice regarding industry trends, supply chain solutions and regulatory issues.

Pat Rogers, Cargill’s director of commercial excellence, North America food & bio-industrial ingredients said: “This partnership will bring improvements to supply chain, e-commerce, technical applications support and other critical components that bring value to the overall customer experience.”

Gerald Briand, Univar’s vice-president of focused industries added: “In a fragmented distribution network, expanding our business relationship with Cargill allows Univar to offer our customers an even broader selection of high-quality, innovative ingredients. This new agreement strengthens Univar’s position as a leading food ingredients provider and trusted advisor to food producers in a wide variety of categories.”