BZ Group and Bunge (NYSE:BG) today announced the signing of a strategic partnership. As part of this agreement, Bunge acquires 49% of BZ Group while the Beuzelin family remains the majority shareholder with 51% ownership. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.

The BZ Group, located in Normandy, France, originates products from a large network of independent farmers and also sources grains, oilseeds and pulses from suppliers in the northwest of France to export to its customers via its port terminal in Rouen. Bunge, a global leader in agribusiness and food ingredients, has developed a strong relationship with BZ over the years. The decision to combine BZ's expertise in the French market with Bunge's global reach is the natural evolution of this long-term relationship.

This partnership is expected to strengthen operational and commercial cooperation in an increasingly volatile and demanding market environment. It will also provide the opportunity to expand the facility in the port terminal in Rouen, the largest cereal export facility in Western Europe.

"Bunge is pleased to build on the strong business partnership with the BZ Group to bring more opportunities and flexible solutions to our customers," said Christos Dimopoulos, Co-President, Agribusiness. "This partnership will strengthen our global network and allow us to provide customers with a broad portfolio from the most important origins."

"This partnership with Bunge marks a new milestone in our history. It offers the BZ Group and its teams great development prospects while staying true to its agricultural roots. In the French landscape, we will continue to offer a differentiated positioning in the grain sector. The BZ journey is once again broadening its horizon and together with the Bunge teams, we will be able to reinvent ourselves again," said Florent Beuzelin, Chairman and CEO of the BZ Group.

About Bunge

At Bunge ((www.bunge.com, NYSE:BG), our purpose is to connect farmers to consumers to deliver essential food, feed and fuel to the world. With more than two centuries of experience, unmatched global scale and deeply rooted relationships, we work to put quality food on the table, increase sustainability where we operate, strengthen global food security, and help communities prosper. As the world's leader in oilseed processing and a leading producer and supplier of specialty plant-based oils and fats, we value our partnerships with farmers to improve the productivity and environmental efficiency of agriculture across our value chains and to bring quality products from where they're grown to where they're consumed. At the same time, we collaborate with our customers to create and reimagine the future of food, developing tailored and innovative solutions to meet evolving dietary needs and trends in every part of the world. Our Company is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and we have more than 23,000 dedicated employees working across approximately 300 facilities located in more than 40 countries.

Website Information

We routinely post important information for investors on our website, www.bunge.com, in the "Investors" section. We may use this website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor the Investors section of our website, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, presentations and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this document.

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BZ Group and Bunge Enter Into Strategic Partnership