Corrects McCormick's CEO name
March 20 (Reuters) -
Unilever ULVR.L is in talks to sell its foods business to smaller rival McCormick & Company MKC.N, a potential deal that would unite the British company's Hellmann's and Knorr brands with the U.S. spice maker's Cholula hot sauce.
The deal talks come months after the consumer goods giant spun-off its Magnum Ice Cream Company MICCT.AS division, as part of efforts to focus on its personal care and beauty businesses.
Here's a breakdown of the two food businesses' major brands and sales:
UNILEVER FOOD BUSINESS
MCCORMICK
Market Value
Enterprise value of about $34.71 billion, according to Barclays estimates
$14.51 billion, according to LSEG data
Popular brands
Knorr soups and spices, Hellmann's mayonnaise and condiments, Horlicks drink mixes, Colman's mustard, Marmite spread, Maille mustard, Kissan sauces and jams, Bovril beef extract
Cholula hot sauce, French's condiments and sauces, Frank's RedHot sauces, Stubb's sauces and marinades
Latest annual revenue
12.93 billion euros ($14.96 billion)
$6.84 billion
Latest annual profit
2.75 billion euros
$1.07 billion
Major markets
Products of parent sold in over 190 countries including Nigeria, India, China, U.S., Canada, UK, France
Brands sold in over 170 countries including U.S., Canada, China, India
Operations and offices
The conglomerate has offices across 119 locations worldwide with no breakdown of Foods only locations
Across 29 countries
Major plants and facilities
Burton in the UK, Cochin in India
Maryland and Louisiana in the U.S., Shanghai in China
Here's how the businesses' leadership and strategies look like:
UNILEVER FOOD BUSINESS
MCCORMICK
Leadership
Heiko Schipper, Foods Business Group President
Brendan M. Foley, CEO
Business model
Does not have segments within food unit but the cooking aids and condiments categories drive a chunk of sales. Other offerings include Mini Meals, and Unilever Food Solutions.
Operates via two segments- Consumer and Flavor Solutions
Shareholder activism in the past few years
Activist shareholder Nelson Peltz revealed a stake in parent Unilever in 2022, pushing for streamlining at foods unit operations
None
Acquisitions and disposals
Parent spun-off Ice cream brand Magnum and sold non-core food assets including snack brand Graze and plant-based meat brand The Vegetarian Butcher in 2025. It has cut product assortment by 25% since 2019.
Bought Reckitt Benckiser'sRKT.L food unit in 2017, Cholula Hot Sauce in 2020
(SOURCES: Reuters stories, companies' annual reports and websites)
($1 = 0.8643 euros)
EXPLAINER: Why is Unilever looking to sell its food business? nL1N408075
(Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
((Prerna.Bedi@thomsonreuters.com; +91 98052 24616;))
