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Note 5 - Collaborative Agreements
6 Months Ended
Nov. 25, 2012
License Agreements [Text Block]
5.            Collaborative Agreements

Monsanto

On December 1, 2006, Landec entered into a five-year co-exclusive technology license and polymer supply agreement (“the Monsanto Agreement”) with Monsanto Company (“Monsanto”) for the use of Landec’s Intellicoat polymer seed coating technology.  On December 1, 2011, Monsanto terminated the Monsanto Agreement and paid the Company a $4 million termination fee and all rights to the Intellicoat seed coating technology reverted to Landec.

For the three and six months ended November 27, 2011, Landec recognized $1.35 million and $2.7 million, respectively, in license revenues from the Monsanto Agreement.

INCOTEC

In connection with the sale of Landec Ag to INCOTEC on June 24, 2012 (see Note 3), Landec entered into a seven-year exclusive technology license and polymer supply agreement with INCOTEC for the use of Landec’s Intellicoat® polymer seed coating technology for male inbred corn which is sold under the Pollinator Plus label.  This license does not include the use of Intellicoat for the controlled release of an active ingredient for agricultural applications which was retained by Landec.  Landec will be the exclusive supplier of Pollinator Plus polymer to INCOTEC during the term of the license agreement.  Landec will receive a royalty equal to 20% of the revenues realized by INCOTEC from the sale of or sublicense of Pollinator Plus coatings during the first four years of the agreement and 10% for the last three years of the agreement.

On June 24, 2012, Landec also entered into a five-year exclusive technology license and polymer supply agreement with INCOTEC for the joint development of new polymer and unique coatings for use in seed treatment formulations.  In this agreement, Landec will receive a value share which will be mutually agreed to by both parties prior to each application being developed.

Air Products

In March 2006, Landec entered into an exclusive license and research and development agreement with Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (“Air Products”).  In accordance with the agreement, Landec receives 40% of the direct profit generated from the sale of products by Air Products occurring after April 1, 2007, that incorporate Landec’s Intelimer materials.

Chiquita

In September 2007, the Company amended its licensing and supply agreement with Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (“Chiquita”).   Under the terms of the amendment, the license for bananas was expanded to include additional exclusive fields using Landec’s BreatheWay® packaging technology, and a new exclusive license was added for the sale and marketing of avocados and mangos using Landec’s BreatheWay packaging technology.  The agreement with Chiquita has been renewed through December 2016 and requires Chiquita to pay annual gross profit minimums to Landec in order for Chiquita to maintain its exclusive license for bananas, avocados and mangos.  Under the terms of the agreement, Chiquita must notify Landec before December 1st of each year whether it is going to maintain its exclusive license for the following calendar year and thus agree to pay the minimums for that year.  Landec was notified in November 2012 that Chiquita has chosen to not maintain its exclusive license for calendar year 2013 and thus will not be required to pay the minimum gross profit for calendar year 2013.  As a result, the agreement has reverted to a non-exclusive agreement in which Chiquita will pay the Company for membranes purchased on a per unit sales basis and the Company is now entitled to sell its BreatheWay packaging technology for bananas, avocados and mangos to others.

Windset

In June 2010, Apio entered into an exclusive license agreement with Windset for Windset to utilize Landec’s proprietary breathable packaging to extend the shelf life of greenhouse grown cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes (“Exclusive Products”).  In accordance with the agreement, Apio received and recorded a one-time upfront research and development fee of $100,000 and will receive license fees equal to 3% of net revenue of the Exclusive Products utilizing the proprietary breathable packaging technology, with or without the BreatheWay® trademark. The ongoing license fees are subject to annual minimums of $150,000 for each of the three types of exclusive product as each is added to the agreement.  As of November 25, 2012, two products have been added to the agreement.

Nitta

In July 2012, the Company entered into a research and development agreement with Nitta Corporation, a Japanese company, to develop additional uses of the Company’s adhesive polymer technology for electronics.  For the three and six months ended November 25, 2012, the Company recognized $103,000 and $138,000, respectively, in research and development revenues from this agreement.  The agreement was amended in November 2012, to extend and expand the scope of the work under the agreement for another six months.  The Company expects to recognize an additional $550,000 in research and development revenue under the amended agreement during the second half of fiscal year 2013.