UNILEVER PLC

Company Description

Unilever is one of the world's largest consumer goods companies, manufacturing products that billions of people use daily—from Dove soap and Axe deodorant to Hellmann's mayonnaise and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. The company's products are sold in over 190 countries, making it a truly global household name with approximately 3.4 billion people using its products every day. The company operates through four main divisions: Beauty & Wellbeing (skincare and haircare brands like Dove, TRESemmé, and Dermalogica), Personal Care (deodorants and oral care including Axe, Rexona, and Closeup), Home Care (cleaning products such as Omo, Domestos, and Cif), and Foods (condiments and meal solutions including Knorr, Hellmann's, and Magnum ice cream). Unilever was formed in 1930 through the merger of Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie and British soap maker Lever Brothers. For nearly a century, it maintained a complex dual-listed structure between the UK and Netherlands before simplifying to a single London-based entity in 2020. The company is known for its focus on 30 'Power Brands' that generate about 75% of total revenue. With approximately 116,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues exceeding €60 billion, Unilever continues to reshape its portfolio. The company announced plans to separate its Ice Cream business (including Ben & Jerry's, Magnum, and Wall's) by the end of 2025, which will be listed separately in Amsterdam, London, and New York. This will leave Unilever more focused on its core beauty, personal care, home care, and food segments.