On the 19th, Unilever announced a major adjustment in its food sector, which will once again divest its ice cream business after divesting its Lipton Tea business. This business is well-known to consumers in the Chinese market, including brands such as Heluxue, Menglong, and Kaedo, with a revenue of 7.9 billion euros in 2023.
In a notice from Unilever, the board believes that the company should pay more attention to a range of outstanding brands that cannot be missed, which have a strong position in highly attractive categories and complementary operating models. This is where companies can most effectively utilize their innovation, marketing, and market capabilities. The operating model of the ice cream business is completely different, so the board of directors has decided to split it, which is most conducive to the future development of ice cream and Unilever.
After the spin off, Unilever will become a simpler and more focused company, divided into four business groups: beauty and health, personal care, home care, and nutrition.
The split of the ice cream business, as an independent and more focused enterprise, will begin immediately and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with more information to be provided at an appropriate time.