Who Owns Maizena?

• Parent Company: Unilever plc
• Ownership Type: Wholly owned
• Company Type: Publicly Traded
• Stock Ticker: LSE: ULVR

• Founded: 1856
• Founders: Duryea Starch Company

• Founded: 1929
• Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
• Company Type: Publicly Traded
• Stock: LSE: ULVR
• Revenue: approximately €59.7 billion (FY2025)
• Employees: Approximately 128,000

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• Headquarters: London, UK / Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Manufacturing / Operations: Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Global Unilever facilities

Maizena operates under Unilever's comprehensive sustainability framework, which includes ambitious agricultural and environmental initiatives. As a corn starch product, Maizena benefits from Unilever's regenerative agriculture programs and sustainable sourcing practices for agricultural ingredients.

Unilever has made significant progress in implementing regenerative agricultural practices across its supply chain. By the end of 2024, the company had 23 active regenerative agriculture projects covering approximately 130,000 hectares, with plans to expand to more than 200,000 hectares in 2025. These initiatives help reduce emissions at the farm level, sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and increase the climate resilience of agricultural systems.

The company has set goals to implement regenerative agricultural practices on 1 million hectares of agricultural land and to help protect and restore 1 million hectares of natural ecosystems by 2030. Many of these programs support smallholder farmers around the world in adopting more sustainable agricultural practices, which benefits ingredient suppliers for products like Maizena.

Unilever's Sustainable Agricultural Principles guide the company's approach to sustainable sourcing, ensuring that agricultural ingredients like corn are produced with environmental responsibility and social equity considerations. The principles cover soil health, water management, biodiversity protection, and fair labor practices.

For corn specifically, Unilever focuses on sustainable farming practices that reduce environmental impact while maintaining crop quality and yield. The company works with suppliers to implement water-efficient irrigation, soil conservation techniques, and integrated pest management that reduces chemical inputs.

Maizena production facilities are subject to Unilever's environmental standards, which include energy efficiency improvements, waste reduction programs, and water conservation initiatives. The company has committed to achieving zero emissions across its global operations by 2039 and uses 100% renewable electricity at its manufacturing sites.

While Maizena as a specific product line does not receive individual awards, it benefits from Unilever's recognition as a leader in sustainability and corporate responsibility. Unilever has been acknowledged for its ambitious sustainability goals and progress in implementing regenerative agriculture practices.

Unilever's regenerative agriculture programs have been recognized for their scale and impact, with the company being noted for its commitment to protecting and regenerating natural ecosystems while maintaining agricultural productivity. The company's approach to sustainable sourcing has been highlighted as a model for other consumer goods companies.

The company's sustainability reporting and transparency have received positive recognition from environmental organizations and sustainability rating agencies. Unilever's commitment to science-based targets and climate action has positioned it as a leader in corporate environmental responsibility.

Maizena, as part of Unilever's portfolio, contributes to the company's overall recognition for product quality, food safety, and nutritional value. The brand's long history and consistent quality have made it a trusted corn starch product in many markets.

Maizena has not been involved in any major product recalls or significant controversies. As a food ingredient product, corn starch is generally considered safe and has a long history of use in food preparation without major safety concerns.

The corn starch industry has faced some scrutiny regarding agricultural practices, particularly related to pesticide use and environmental impact of corn cultivation. However, Maizena benefits from Unilever's sustainable sourcing programs and agricultural principles that address these concerns through responsible farming practices.

There have been no specific safety alerts or regulatory actions targeting Maizena products in recent years. The product maintains compliance with food safety standards and regulations in all markets where it is sold.

Unilever, as the parent company, has faced various controversies related to environmental practices, labor issues, and marketing claims in different parts of its business portfolio. However, these have not specifically involved the Maizena brand or corn starch products.

The corn starch market has seen increased attention to clean label and natural ingredient trends, which has led some consumers to seek alternatives to conventional corn starch. Maizena has adapted to these market trends by emphasizing its purity and versatility as a food ingredient.