Unilever has confirmed it is in talks about a potential transaction following widespread speculation that it would merge its foods business with Kraft Heinz’s condiment division.
Last week, sources claiming to be familiar with the talks told the Financial Times that Unilever and Kraft Heinz were discussing a merger between their food business and condiment division, respectively.
The move was anticipated to unite major brands like Heinz ketchup and Hellmann’s mayonnaise under one company, which was expected to be worth ‘tens of billions’ of dollars.
In a new statement, the company said: “Unilever confirms that it has received an inbound offer for its Foods business and is in discussions with McCormick & Company, Inc. There can be no certainty that any transaction will be agreed.
“The Board believes Foods is a highly attractive business, with a strong financial profile led by market-leading brands in growing categories and is confident in the future of the Foods business as part of Unilever.”
The conversation comes after Unilever demerged The Magnum Ice Cream Company into a separate entity last year.
With its Hellmann’s and Knorr brands now thought to comprise around 75% of its food business, Unilever is currently selling up to $1 billion of its smaller food brands.
Reuters has reported that the company is considering selling popular British brands such as Marmite, Bovril, and Colman’s.
Additionally, Unilever’s latest financial report has signalled a growing focus on its personal care business.
In other news, Packaging Europe attended a media panel and spoke to Tati Lindenberg, chief marketing officer at Unilever Home Care, to dive depeer into the company’s new Persil and Comfort Smart Series detergents for auto-dose washing machines.
Lindenberg went into detail about the product’s lightweight plastic pouch and nozzle, designed for straightforward use and convenient storage; the implications of a flexible plastic format for Unilever’s ongoing sustainability goals; and the inspirations behind the on-pack orb design, repeated across multiple touchpoints in a wider campaign.
We also highlighted Heinz’s tomato ketchup bottle in the latest edition of our Iconic Packs series, following its evolution from clear glass through to squeezable plastic, the ‘upside down’ bottle, and redesigned caps.
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