Unilever

NEWS ANALYSIS

Unilever and McCormick investors find US$65 billion food deal hard to swallow

Analysts cite concerns over deal structure, integration challenges, and regulatory risks

McCormick will pay US$15.7 billion in cash and the equivalent of US$29.1 billion in shares for most of Unilever’s food business.

McCormick acquires Unilever food arm in US$44.8 billion merger

UNILEVER agreed to combine its food business with spice maker McCormick & Co. in a US$44.8 billion deal that will create a global seasonings, sauces and condiments company.

The company's current headcount of 96,000 is down from the roughly 149,000 people it employed in 2020.

Unilever imposes global hiring freeze, citing Middle East war effects, memo says

The freeze comes on top of an existing cost-cutting programme it has had in place since 2024

The transaction marks the company’s second divestment move, following last year’s sale of its ice cream business, Walls, to Magnum Ice Cream for seven trillion rupiah.

Unilever to sell Indonesia tea business to Djarum Group for 1.5 trillion rupiah

The company will sell Sariwangi, one of the leading brands in the country’s tea-bag market

Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s have clashed since 2021, when the Chubby Hubby maker said it would stop sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Ben & Jerry's co-founder resigns citing loss of independence under Unilever

Jerry Greenfield says the Vermont-based company has lost its independence since UK parent Unilever curtailed its social activism

Unilever had reduced its white collar workforce by 18% over the past 18 months.

Unilever CEO plans shakeup of top 200 managers in overhaul

[LONDON] Unilever chief executive officer Fernando Fernandez expects to replace a quarter of the group’s top 200 managers following a performance review, as he leads an overhaul of the maker of Dove s...

Unilever says the acquisition of Dr Squatch would complement its men’s personal care offerings, which include Axe and Dove Men+Care deodorants, and that it would scale Dr Squatch internationally.

Unilever to pay US$1.5 billion for men's grooming brand Dr Squatch

The deal was announced earlier this week by all three parties, without disclosing financial details

Ben & Jerry’s also says Unilever tasked one of its executives with persuading the company’s founders to take its side in the dispute.

Ben & Jerry's cites investor Peltz's growing influence over parent company Unilever

[NEW YORK] Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s said late on Friday (May 2) that billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz, who is on its parent company Unilever’s board, has increased his influence over th...

Unilever is threatening to halt the funding in retaliation for the lawsuit, and because one of the ice cream maker’s founders has tried to buy back the frozen dessert maker.

Unilever threatens to pull funding from the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation: sources

[NEW YORK] Unilever is threatening to halt funding to the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, a US-based non-profit that makes donations to social justice organisations, sources familiar with the matter said.