UNILEVER AND SARA LEE

RNS Number : 6622Z

Unilever PLC

25 September 2009

 



UNILEVER TO ACQUIRE THE PERSONAL CARE  BUSINESS OF SARA LEE 

Leading brands such as Sanex, Radox and Duschdas strengthen category leadership in Skin Cleansing and Deodorants

London - September 25, 2009, Unilever today announced that it has made a binding offer to acquire the Personal Care business of the Sara Lee Corporation for €1.275 billion in cash.  The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and consultation with European employee works councils.

Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever said: 'Personal Care is a strategic category and a key growth driver for Unilever. This transaction builds on our portfolio in Western Europe and also in Asia. The Sara Lee brands enjoy strong consumer recognition, offer significant growth potential and are an excellent fit with Unilever's existing business.'

Vindi Banga, President Foods, Home & Personal Care added: 'We are delighted to have the opportunity to acquire such a strong stable of brands, which will help build on our global leadership positions in Skin Cleansing and Deodorants. They are a perfect complement to Unilever's existing portfolio of brands like Dove, Axe and Rexona.' 

The acquisition will strengthen Unilever's leadership positions overall in Western Europe. In addition, there is significant potential to build these brands in developing and emerging markets, which already generate approximately 15% of their annual sales.

The Sara Lee brands generated annual sales in excess of €750 million with an EBITDA of €128 million for the year ending June 2009.  

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25th September, 2009

About Unilever

Unilever's mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with leadership positions in many of its product categories and strong local roots in more than 100 countries across the globe. Its global brand portfolio includes some of the world's best known and most loved brands including Knorr, Hellmann's, Flora, Rama, Dove, Axe, Rexona, Lux, Sunsilk, Omo/Persil/Skip, Surf, Wall's, Lipton and Ben & Jerry's. In 2008, Unilever had approximately 174,000 employees and generated annual sales of €40 billion, of which close to 50% was achieved in developing and emerging markets such as Asia, Africa, Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe.

More information about Unilever and its brands can be found at www.unilever.com.

Safe Harbour

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, including 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as 'expects', 'anticipates', 'intends', 'believes' or the negative of these terms and other similar expressions of future performance or results, including financial objectives to 2010, and their negatives are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions regarding anticipated developments and other factors affecting the Group. They are not historical facts, nor are they guarantees of future performance. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including, among others, competitive pricing and activities, consumption levels, costs, the ability to maintain and manage key customer relationships and supply chain sources, currency values, interest rates, the ability to integrate acquisitions and complete planned divestitures, the ability to complete planned restructuring activities, physical risks, environmental risks, the ability to manage regulatory, tax and legal matters and resolve pending matters within current estimates, legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments, political, economic and social conditions in the geographic markets where the Group operates and new or changed priorities of the Boards. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting the Group are described in the Group's filings with the London Stock Exchange, Euronext Amsterdam and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report & Accounts on Form 20-F. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

 

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