Unilever Acquires Snack Brand Graze

UNILEVER has acquired the UK healthy snack brand Graze from investment firm Carlyle.

Having started in 2008, with a snack box delivery service, Graze is now a multichannel brand, with products available via retail stores, ecommerce and direct to consumer. Carlyle acquired graze in November 2012.

Sky News reported that the deal, first under the new Unilever chief executive Alan Jope, is worth £150 million.

Anthony Fletcher, chief executive of Graze, said, “this deal marks a transformational moment in graze’s growth journey. Graze believes that learning from Unilever’s sustainable living plan will become a key driver for the business.”

Nitin Paranjpe, president of Unilever’s food and refreshment business, said, “Graze is the number one healthy snacking brand in the UK – delivering consumers fabulously tasty snacking options, delivered in beautiful packaging. A truly multichannel brand, Graze offers personalisation, convenience and great nutrition, brilliantly meeting the needs of millennial consumers.”

“Accelerating our presence in healthy foods and out of home this is an excellent strategic fit for the Unilever food & refreshment business, and a wonderful addition to our stable of purpose driven brands,” he added.