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McCormick makes offer for Unilever food division

"Unilever confirms that it has received an inbound offer for its Foods business and is in discussions with McCormick & Company," the British company said in a statement on Friday.

Unilever

Hellmann's, a brand of Unilever, is seen on display in a store in Manhattan, New York City.

Reuters

UNILEVER said on Friday it has received an offer from US firm McCormick & Company for its food business and is in discussions.

The company said there is no certainty that any deal will be agreed.


"Unilever confirms that it has received an inbound offer for its Foods business and is in discussions with McCormick & Company," the British company said in a statement on Friday.

"There can be no certainty that any transaction will be agreed," it added.

A potential sale would mark a shift for Unilever, whose brands include Dove soap, Cif surface cleaner and Hellmann's mayonnaise, as it continues efforts to improve performance.

The offer from US-based spices maker McCormick & Company comes as Unilever focuses more on its personal care and beauty divisions under chief executive Fernando Fernandez.

The company said its food business remains "highly attractive" and added that it was "confident in the future of the Foods business as part of Unilever."

Unilever has been reshaping its portfolio.

Last year, it spun off its ice cream division, which included Magnum ice cream and the Ben & Jerry's brand.

Changes at Unilever in 2025 also included job cuts and the appointment of Fernandez, who took over as CEO one year ago after serving as the company's chief financial officer.

He has also focused on growing sales in the United States and India.

The company posted a small rise in annual profits last year to about 4.96 billion pounds, while revenue slipped.

(With inputs from agencies)

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