Solazyme and Unilever Partner to Bring Algal Renewable Oil to Personal Care Products
March 9, 2010
For Immediate Release
Research and development agreement to develop renewable, natural and sustainable oils from algae for use in soaps and other personal care products
SOUTH SAN FRANSISCO, California (March 9, 2010) —Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil and bioproducts company, has signed a research and development agreement with Unilever to develop oil derived from algae for use in soaps and other personal care products. The agreement follows the culmination of a yearlong collaboration between Solazyme and Unilever, in which Solazyme's renewable algal oils were tested successfully in Unilever product formulations.
"Algal oil provides important benefits in personal care applications," explained Jonathan Wolfson, CEO of Solazyme. "Solazyme's algal oils can help meet the growing demand for completely renewable, natural and sustainable personal care products. Unilever is an acknowledged world leader in sustainability and we are honored to be working with them to develop this new renewable source of natural oils for their world class consumer products."
Solazyme and Unilever are working to demonstrate a process to incorporate targeted algal oils into personal care products at a commercially relevant scale. The work will further develop Solazyme's technology platform, which allows algae to produce oil and biomaterials in standard fermentation facilities quickly, efficiently and at large scale.
Among other sustainability initiatives, Unilever is vigorously exploring various next-generation sources of renewable oil for use in its products. Unilever's collaboration with Solazyme represents a substantial step in the company's exploration of algae as a source of renewable oil.
"Unilever is committed to the highest sustainability and environmental practices and is working to drive industry change and set new standards," said Peter Gallagher, VP of Global Skin R&D, of Unilever. "Exploring sources of alternative natural oils, is one of the most important aspects of our greater sustainable sourcing strategy and working with Solazyme's algal oils is an excellent fit."
For more information, please visit www.solazyme.com.
About Solazyme
Solazyme, Inc. is a renewable oil and bioproducts company and the leader in algal biotechnology. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in South San Francisco, Solazyme's unique technology leverages microalgae's ability to produce oil and biomaterials in standard fermentation facilities quickly, efficiently and at large scale. These oils and biomaterials are tailored not only for biofuel production, but also as replacements for fossil petroleum and plant oils in a diverse range of products ranging from clean fuels and chemicals to cosmetics and foods. Solazyme's oils and fuels provide compelling solutions to increasingly complex issues of fuel scarcity, energy security and environmental impact while fitting cleanly into the pre-existing multi-trillion dollar fuel infrastructure. For more information, please visit our website: www.solazyme.com.
For more information
- Leah Hardesty
- Peppercom
- 4(15) 633-3204
- lhardesty@peppercom.com
- Genet Garamendi
- Solazyme
- (650) 963-5228
- ggaramendi@solazyme.com
About Braemar Energy Ventures
Braemar Energy Ventures is a venture capital fund making early- to mid-stage investments in the energy technology sector. The firm's principals have invested in more than 50 companies in the sector and have significant technical, operational and financial experience in energy and energy-related industries. Through offices in New York and Boston, the firm targets a wide range of energy technologies that impact stationary power, transportation and portable energy applications. Additional information is available at www.braemarenergy.com.
For more information
- CJP Communications
- Gina Sorice
- (212) 279-3115, x243
- gsorice@cjpcom.com