Variable Interest Entity

12 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2022

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Variable Interest Entity Disclosure [Text Block]

Variable Interest Entity

In February 2016, we agreed to make a capital commitment subject to certain qualifications of up to $125 million to Acre, a limited partnership formed to make venture capital investments in innovative new companies in food and food-related industries. Acre was managed by its general partner, Acre Ventures GP, LLC, which was independent of us. We were the sole limited partner of Acre and owned a 99.8% interest. Acre was a VIE. We entered into an agreement to sell our interest in Acre on April 26, 2020, and completed the sale on May 8, 2020, for $30 million resulting in a loss of $45 million recognized in the third quarter of 2020 as a result of the pending sale. We consolidated Acre and accounted for the third party ownership as a noncontrolling interest. Through the date of the sale, we funded $86 million of the capital commitment.

Acre elected the fair value option to account for qualifying investments to more appropriately reflect the value of the investments in the financial statements. Changes in the fair values of investments for which the fair value option was elected were included in Other expenses / (income) on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings.