March 17 (Reuters) - Unilever is in the early stages of weighing a separation of its food assets as the consumer goods maker plans to streamline its business, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday,
Unilever considers separation of its food assets, Bloomberg News reports
Unilever's Strategic Review of Food Assets
March 17 (Reuters) - Unilever is in the early stages of weighing a separation of its food assets as the consumer goods maker plans to streamline its business, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Potential Sale of Historic British Brands
Late last year, Reuters had reported, citing sources, that the company was considering selling historic British brands including Marmite, Colman's and Bovril to focus on beauty and wellbeing.
Market Challenges Facing Food Companies
Food companies have been struggling with weak demand as budget conscious consumers are cutting back on spending and opting for cheaper store brands as well as fast adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs also curb overall consumption.
Unilever's Ongoing Discussions and Options
- Unilever is in talks with advisers to study options that include spinning off most or all of the food businesses or retaining some of the flagship brands while separating the rest, the Bloomberg report said.
- Any move is not expected before 2027 and the company may still decide to retain its current structure, according to the report.
- The deal would likely value the Unilever food business at tens of billions of dollars, the report said.
Leadership and Strategic Direction
- Selling Marmite, Colman's and Bovril would be one of Unilever's most significant disposals since Fernando Fernandez became CEO in February 2025 with a mandate to speed up its turnaround strategy.
- Unilever declined to comment, when contacted by Reuters.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Sanskriti Shekhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
