The extension follows the initial agreement, signed in 2014, for the production of 10,000 metric tons of renewable algal oil for use in its Lux soap bars, which are made and sold in Brazil. In the new five-year deal, TerraVia will supply Unilever with algal oil for use in its personal care products.
The oils are produced using a fermentation process designed to ensure they are of the highest purity, and deliver improved consumer benefits such as enhanced lathering, rinsing and a better fragrance experience.
The decision to use algal oils is also aligned with Unilever’s ambition to grow the business while reducing its overall environmental footprint, and its commitment to using only sustainably sourced agricultural raw materials by 2020. Algal oils offer an additional source of fully traceable sustainably sourced high-yield oil and have a lower greenhouse gas footprint than the current industry average of equivalent oils.
TerraVia’s algal oils are derived from oil-producing microalgae that are cultivated sustainably and responsibly.