Plum Goodness vs Unilever: Founders, CEOs and History
Plum Goodness was founded in 2013 by Shankar Prasad and is led by Shankar Prasad. Unilever was founded in 1929 by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens and is led by Fernando Fernandez.
Company facts
Plum Goodness
- Founded
- 2013
- Headquarters
- Thane, Maharashtra, India
- Current CEO
- Shankar Prasad
Unilever
- Founded
- 1929
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
- Current CEO
- Fernando Fernandez
- Employees
- 96,092
Founders
Plum Goodness
Shankar Prasad
Shankar Prasad founded Pureplay Skin Sciences, the company behind Plum, in 2013 and has run it as founder and CEO since.
Unilever
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.
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.
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.
CEOs and their tenures
Plum Goodness
- Shankar Prasad2013–present
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Founded Pureplay Skin Sciences in 2013 and has been CEO throughout. Raised over $50 million, including the 2022 Series C at a $250 million valuation, and steered the company to a ~$2.9 million (₹25 crore) profit in FY25.
Source
Unilever
- Patrick Cescau2005–2008
Group Chief Executive
He simplified the organisation and sold the European frozen-foods business. Paul Polman succeeded him at the start of 2009.
Source - Paul Polman2009–2018
Chief Executive Officer
He rejected a $143 billion takeover approach from Kraft Heinz in 2017. Alan Jope succeeded him at the start of 2019.
Source - Alan Jope2019–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
Source - Hein Schumacher2023–2025
Chief Executive Officer
Schumacher reset Unilever around fewer, bigger brands and set up the Ice Cream demerger before stepping down in February 2025.
Source - Fernando Fernandez2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
As CFO, the highly experienced Latin American executive enforces absolute financial discipline, attempting to restore investor confidence after years of sluggish stock performance.
Source
Timeline: Plum Goodness and Unilever side by side
1884Unilever
Lever soap factory opens
William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.
1929Unilever
Unilever created
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie merged to form Unilever.
1929Unilever
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie Merge
Lever Brothers and the Dutch Margarine Unie merged in 1929 to form Unilever.
1984Unilever
Acquired Brooke Bond
Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).
1989Unilever
Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics
Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
1993Unilever
Acquired Breyers
Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.
2000Unilever
Acquired Maille
Unilever acquired Maille. Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.
2013Plum Goodness
Pureplay Skin Sciences Incorporated in Thane: Shankar Prasad incorporates Pureplay Skin Sciences in Thane, Maharashtra, to launch Plum as India's first 100% vegan beauty brand.
2018Plum Goodness
Unilever Ventures Backs Plum: Unilever Ventures invests in Plum, later joining the 2020 Series B and 2022 Series C rounds.
2019Unilever
Alan 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.
2020Plum Goodness
Faering Capital Leads $14.9 Million Series B: Pureplay Skin Sciences raises $14.9 million in Series B funding with Unilever Ventures and Trifecta Capital.
2020Plum Goodness
Launch of Plum BodyLovin' Gourmand Fragrance Line: Introduces Plum BodyLovin', offering whimsical bath and body collections with dessert-inspired fragrances (Vanilla Vibes, Hawaiian Rumba).
2020Unilever
Legal structure unified
Unilever moved to a single parent company structure after decades with British and Dutch holding companies.
2020Unilever
Single Parent Company
Unilever unified its dual structure into a single parent company, Unilever PLC, in November 2020.
2022Plum Goodness
A91 Partners Leads $35 Million Series C: Raises $35 million in a Series C led by A91 Partners with Unilever Ventures and Faering Capital, valuing Plum at about $250 million.
2025Plum Goodness
First Full-Year Profit: FY25 revenue rises 23.3% to ~$46.6 million (₹402 crore) and the company posts a ~$2.9 million (₹25 crore) profit after a ~$9.74 million (₹84 crore) FY24 loss.
2025Unilever
Fernando Fernandez becomes CEO
Fernando Fernandez was appointed CEO effective March 2025.
2025Unilever
Ice Cream demerger reflected
Unilever reported 2025 results on a continuing-operations basis after the Ice Cream business demerger.
Acquisitions
Plum Goodness
No verified acquisitions are listed.
Unilever
- Dr. Squatch2025Undisclosed
- Wild2025Undisclosed
- Minimalist2025Undisclosed
- Paula's Choice2021Undisclosed
- Sir Kensington's2017Undisclosed
- Weis2017Undisclosed
Questions about Plum Goodness vs Unilever
Who is the CEO of Plum Goodness and Unilever PLC?
Plum Goodness is led by Shankar Prasad and Unilever PLC is led by Fernando Fernandez. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Plum Goodness founded vs Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC was founded in 1929 — 84 years before Plum Goodness, which was founded in 2013. Unilever PLC's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Plum Goodness.
How many employees does Plum Goodness have compared to Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC employs approximately 96,092 people. A verified employee count for Plum Goodness is not currently available.
Where are Plum Goodness and Unilever PLC headquartered?
Plum Goodness is headquartered in India and Unilever PLC is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Plum Goodness and Unilever PLC?
Plum Goodness was founded by Shankar Prasad. Unilever PLC was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens.
Which company has a longer operating history — Plum Goodness or Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC has been operating for approximately 97 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Plum Goodness has been in operation for around 13 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Plum Goodness vs Unilever overview