Unilever has received a “binding offer” from Dutch meat, snacks and soups producer Zwanenberg Food Group to acquire the Unox and Zwan food brands.
The financial details of the planned deal have not been disclosed.
The two brands have been part of the Marmite and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream owner’s line-up for nearly a century.
Unox, a Dutch brand known for prepared soups and noodles, was introduced in 1937, while Zwan, a Belgian-based canned meat brand, dates back to 1928.
The proposed acquisition is part of Zwanenberg’s strategy to “focus” on producing and distributing soups, meat products, plant-based alternatives, sauces, and ready meals, it said.
Zwanenberg, which employs 1,800 people, reported sales of €600m ($624.8m) in 2023. The Dutch company exports canned meat to more than 100 countries.
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By GlobalData
Unilever said the planned sale is part of its plans to “sharpen its foods portfolio for long-term growth and scalability”.
To execute this approach, the company intends to focus on “fewer and bigger brands”, in categories including cooking aids, mini meals and condiments.
The Unox and Zwan product lines are said to necessitate a specialised supply chain, sourcing model and technological and R&D expertise that are “less scalable” within its foods portfolio, a Unilever statement added.
Zwanenberg initially acquired the Zwan brand for numerous export markets in 1996.
Zwanenberg and Unilever first partnered in 2004, when the former began manufacturing a range of Unox and Swan products for Unilever.
In 2018, Zwanenberg took over Unilever’s Unox factory at Oss in the Netherlands, manufacturing frankfurters and smoked sausages, including vegetarian options, for the company.
The Zwan brand in Belgium and Greece, along with Unox, has remained under Unilever’s ownership.
Additionally, the agreement includes the production lines for soup-in-pouch products at Unilever’s Poznan factory in Poland.
Despite the sale, Unilever will retain certain elements of the Unox brand.
The company said that products such as Unox Noodles and Cup-a-Soup are a “good fit” with its mini-meals category and will remain part of its foods portfolio.
Unilever foods division president Heiko Schipper said: “Unox is a beloved and iconic brand in the Netherlands and the decision to part with it has not been easy.
“I am convinced that under Zwanenberg Food Group’s ownership, Unox and Zwan will be able to quickly adapt to trends and remain relevant in this competitive market.”
The transaction is expected to close next year, subject to meeting necessary conditions and approvals.
Zwanenberg CEO Sjoerd van der Laan said: “After the acquisition of the Unilever factory in Oss in 2018, the acquisition of the Unox and Zwan brands is a great addition that fits in perfectly with our ambitions.”
The planned transaction comes soon after Unilever sold its Dutch Conimex brand, known for its range of meal maker kits, soups and sauces, to Finnish food and beverage company Paulig.
The Conimex deal includes the transfer of the brand and associated business, including trademarks and intellectual property.
Last month, Unilever CEO Hein Schumacher said he is seeking to offload £1bn ($1.2bn) worth of brands.
During the same time, Unilever confirmed the spin-off of its ice-cream units in India and Indonesia.
