Wide Open Agriculture (WOA) has extended Univar Solutions China’s exclusive right to distribute its lupin protein in mainland China to 31 December 2028, buying time while it finds a contract manufacturer to replace its closed German plant.
Univar must still buy a minimum of 50 tonnes of lupin protein isolate over 12 months to keep exclusivity. That 12-month clock will now start only once WOA confirms in writing that commercial quantities are available.
The agreement does not oblige WOA to start supply by any set date. WOA said the extension is not a purchase order and has no immediate financial impact. Revenue will only flow once supply is restored and pricing is agreed.
WOA first appointed Univar as exclusive distributor in April 2025, with the same 50-tonne minimum. Univar has since completed customer trials and confirmed its commercial rollout strategy for China, according to WOA.
But WOA has been unable to supply. In July, it decided to wind down its plant in Grimmen, Germany, citing high EU energy and operating costs and a facility not built for whole-of-lupin processing. It is moving to contract manufacturing, initially targeting 500 to 1000 tonnes a year of lupin protein isolate, with a preference for Asia-based production.
WOA CEO, Craig Swan, said the partnership with Univar remained strong.
“Univar continues to provide real insight supporting the attractiveness of lupin protein in the beverage and nutrition space,” Swan said.
“Our priority is to complete the selection of our contract manufacturing partner and restore supply as soon as possible.”
Under the revised terms, Univar must keep up its marketing commitments, including customer engagement, market development and application trials, subject to sample availability. If it materially fails to do so, WOA can make the arrangement non-exclusive after 30 days’ written notice and a chance to remedy.
WOA has signed non-binding framework agreements with four prospective contract manufacturers. The first, announced in August, was with Dutch Indian plant protein maker Proeon. Three more followed in September: Vietnam LifeScience Company, India’s Shree Ram Agro Products (OMN9) and Indonesia’s PT Haldin Pacific Semesta. None are yet binding.
WOA had cash of $1.27 million at the end of the June quarter, equal to about 2.1 quarters of funding.
Univar Solutions is the world’s third-largest chemical and ingredient distributor, with US$11.5 billion in 2025 sales, according to the 2026 ICIS Top 100 ranking.
