Unilever PLC
Company History
Unilever History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1929 in London, United Kingdom and Rotterdam, Netherlands
When was Unilever founded?
Unilever was founded in 1929 in London, United Kingdom and Rotterdam, Netherlands by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh and Anton Jurgens, making it 97 years old.
- Founded
- 1929
- Founding place
- London, United Kingdom and Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Founders
- William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh and Anton Jurgens
- Headquarters today
- London, United Kingdom
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1884–2025)
- Current CEO
- Fernando Fernandez
- Acquisitions
- 19
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1884 | Lever soap factory opens |
| 1929 | Unilever created |
| 1929 | Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie Merge |
| 1984 | Acquired Brooke Bond |
| 1989 | Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics |
| 1993 | Acquired Breyers |
| 2000 | Acquired Maille |
| 2019 | Alan Jope becomes CEO |
| 2020 | Legal structure unified |
| 2020 | Single Parent Company |
| 2025 | Fernando Fernandez becomes CEO |
| 2025 | Ice Cream demerger reflected |
- Where was Unilever founded?
- Unilever was founded in London, United Kingdom and Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1929. wikidata.org
- Who founded Unilever?
- Unilever was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh and Anton Jurgens.
- When did Unilever start?
- Unilever was founded in 1929.
- How old is Unilever?
- Unilever is 97 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Unilever came out of two businesses that both depended on oils and fats. Lever Brothers, founded in England in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever and his brother James, sold branded Sunlight Soap. In the Netherlands, the Jurgens and Van den Bergh families made margarine and combined their firms as Margarine Unie in 1927. In September 1929 Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie agreed to merge, creating Unilever from 1 January 1930 with twin British and Dutch parent companies. That dual structure lasted until 2020, when Unilever unified under a single UK parent, Unilever PLC.
Founders
William Hesketh Lever
William Hesketh Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) co-founded Lever Brothers with his brother James in 1885 and built it around Sunlight Soap, one of the first branded, individually wrapped soaps sold at mass scale. He built the Port Sunlight factory and model village near Liverpool for his workers. Lever Brothers grew into a major international soap business and, after his death in 1925, merged with the Dutch Margarine Unie in 1929 to form Unilever. William Hesketh Lever was born in 1851. Lever was born on September 19, 1851 and died on May 7, 1925. He joined his father's wholesale grocery business in Bolton at fifteen. He was also a philanthropist and politician and became 1st Viscount Leverhulme.
Samuel van den Bergh
Samuel van den Bergh led Van den Bergh, a Dutch margarine maker that became one of Jurgens' main rivals. The two families combined their businesses into Margarine Unie in 1927, and Margarine Unie merged with Lever Brothers in 1929 to create Unilever. Because both soap and margarine depend on oils and fats, the merger gave the combined group shared purchasing of raw materials. Samuel van den Bergh was born in 1864 in Oss. Van den Bergh was born on April 6, 1864 in Geffen and died on February 4, 1941 in Nice. He joined his father's margarine company in 1888 and became its general director in 1909.
Anton Jurgens
Anton Jurgens' family firm was among the first to manufacture margarine commercially in the Netherlands after the product was invented in France. Jurgens competed for decades with the Van den Bergh family before the two merged into Margarine Unie in 1927. Margarine Unie then merged with Lever Brothers in 1929, creating Unilever. Anton Jurgens was born in 1867. Antonius Johannes Jurgens was born on February 8, 1867 in Oss and died on March 12, 1945. His grandfather Antoon Jurgens founded a butter company in 1867 and, in 1871, the first margarine factory in the world.
Key Milestones
Lever soap factory opens
William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLever Brothers and Margarine Unie Merge
Lever Brothers and the Dutch Margarine Unie merged in 1929 to form Unilever.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquired Brooke Bond
Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics
Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAlan Jope becomes CEO
Alan Jope became CEO of Unilever in 2019. Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLegal structure unified
Unilever moved to a single parent company structure after decades with British and Dutch holding companies.
Source: unilever.comSingle Parent Company
Unilever unified its dual structure into a single parent company, Unilever PLC, in November 2020.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFernando Fernandez becomes CEO
Fernando Fernandez was appointed CEO effective March 2025.
Source: unilever.comIce Cream demerger reflected
Unilever reported 2025 results on a continuing-operations basis after the Ice Cream business demerger.
Source: unilever.comMajor Acquisitions
Brooke Bond
1984Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984.
Calvin Klein Cosmetics
1989Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
Breyers
1993Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.
Ben & Jerry's
2000Unilever bought Ben & Jerry's for about $326 million to add a premium US ice cream brand.
Maille
2000Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.
Diplom-Is
2010Unilever acquired Diplom-Is in 2010.
REN Skincare
2015Unilever acquired REN Skincare in 2015.
Blueair
2016Unilever acquired Blueair in 2016.
Sir Kensington's
2017Unilever acquired Sir Kensington's in 2017.
Weis
2017Unilever acquired Weis in 2017.
Mãe Terra
2017Unilever acquired Mãe Terra in 2017.
Sundial Brands
2017Unilever acquired Sundial Brands in 2017.
Schmidt's Naturals
2017Unilever acquired Schmidt's Naturals in 2017.
Paula's Choice
2021Unilever acquired the science-based skincare brand Paula's Choice to expand in prestige and digital-first beauty.
Dr. Squatch
2025Unilever acquired the US men's personal care brand Dr. Squatch as part of its shift toward premium personal care.
Wild
2025Unilever acquired UK refillable deodorant brand Wild.
Minimalist
2025Unilever, through Hindustan Unilever, acquired Indian skincare brand Minimalist.
National Starch Company
1978Unilever PLC acquired National Starch Company in 1978.
Grom
2015Unilever PLC acquired Grom in 2015.
Keep researching Unilever
Unilever Company History FAQ
When, where, and how was Unilever founded?
Unilever was formed on September 2, 1929, through the merger of British soapmaker Lever Brothers (founded in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever in Port Sunlight) and Dutch margarine giant Margarine Unie (formed by Anton Jurgens and Samuel van den Bergh).
What was the economic logic behind merging a soap company with a margarine maker in 1929?
Both soap and margarine relied fundamentally on the same global raw materials: vegetable oils and animal fats. Merging allowed the combined entity to achieve immense economies of scale in palm oil, tallow, and copra purchasing and worldwide distribution.
What was the historical significance of Sunlight Soap launched in 1885?
Sunlight Soap was the world's first branded, packaged laundry soap made from vegetable oils rather than animal tallow, revolutionizing household hygiene in Victorian Britain and establishing modern consumer branding.
How did William Lever pioneer worker welfare at Port Sunlight?
In 1888, William Lever built Port Sunlight near Liverpool—a visionary model industrial village with high-quality cottages, schools, parks, and hospitals designed to provide dignified living standards for factory workers.
When was the Dove brand created and how did it expand globally?
Dove was launched in the United States in 1957 as a revolutionary beauty cleansing bar containing one-quarter moisturizing cream, expanding over decades into the world's largest personal care brand with billions in annual sales.
How did Unilever defend against Kraft Heinz's $143 billion hostile takeover in 2017?
In February 2017, CEO Paul Polman and the board swiftly rejected an unsolicited $143 billion takeover bid from 3G Capital-backed Kraft Heinz, successfully arguing that 3G's extreme cost-cutting model would destroy long-term brand equity.
What was the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP)?
Launched by CEO Paul Polman in 2010, the USLP was a pioneering decadal sustainability blueprint aimed at halving Unilever's environmental footprint while decoupling business growth from environmental impact.
Why did Unilever unify its corporate dual-headed structure in London in 2020?
For 90 years, Unilever operated with twin legal parent companies in London (PLC) and Rotterdam (NV). In November 2020, shareholders voted to unify into a single British parent company (Unilever PLC) headquartered in London to streamline M&A and capital agility.
Why did Unilever announce the spin-off of its Ice Cream business in 2024?
Unilever decided to demerge its €8 billion Ice Cream division (Magnum, Ben & Jerry's, Wall's) into a standalone listed company, citing distinct cold-chain logistics, seasonal cash cycles, and a desire to simplify core operations.
What is Unilever's Growth Action Plan (GAP)?
Initiated in late 2023, the Growth Action Plan concentrates capital, R&D, and advertising behind Unilever's "30 Power Brands" (representing 75%+ of turnover), pruning non-core brands and driving margin expansion.
Who was appointed CEO of Unilever in 2026?
Fernando Fernandez, former Chief Financial Officer and veteran leader of Unilever's Beauty & Wellbeing and Latin American businesses, was appointed Chief Executive Officer to accelerate execution of the Growth Action Plan.
How large is Unilever today in terms of global reach and revenue?
Unilever generates over €50 billion in annual turnover from continuing operations, employs roughly 96,000 people, and reaches 3.4 billion consumers daily across more than 190 countries.
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