The owner of iconic British brands Marmite, Colman’s and Bovril is reportedly considering a sale. It comes as Unilever, a FTSE 100 consumer goods company, continues its pivot from food to health and beauty.
The brand is reportedly considering the sale of Marmite, which was launched in 1902, but will keep Pot Noodle and Hellmans. The package of assets, also including Colman’s and Bovril beef extract, is estimated to have revenues of around £200 million.
Unilever has owned all three brands for over 20 years. The possible sale was first reported by Reuters, which spoke with three people with knowledge of the matter.
Mr Fernandez came in at a time when Unilever shares remained largely stagnant. He pledged to turn around the company, reportedly planning to sell brands worth between $1bn to $1.5bn.
In March, the sale of The Vegetarian Butcher to Vivera was announced by Unilever. It was then confirmed that personal care brand Kate Somerville would be sold to Rare Beauty Brands last month.
Former Unilever chief executive, Hein Schumacher, previously said the company needed to slim down its “rather eclectic portfolio of food brands”. Other companies, including Nestle, have also been offloading assets in recent times.
They have struggled with high inflations over recent years, which has impacted customers and their own factories. As a result, profit margins have decreased and sales have fallen.
Each of Marmite, Colman’s and Bovril are well-known in Britain. Colman’s was founded in Norwich in 1814, Bovril by Scotsman John Lawson Jonston in 1871, and Marmite in Burton-on-Trent in 1902.
However, New York brand Hellmann’s is not expected to be put up for sale. It is among Unilever’s top 30 “power brands” alongside Pot Noodle.
Unilever is home to around 400 brands across the world. It also markets personal care giant Dove and deodorant brand Axe.
Unilever declined to comment.
