Cadbury rejects hostile bid from Kraft Foods Nov 10, 2009
Despite speculation of a bidding war when Kraft's initial approach was revealed in September, rival interest from the likes of U.S. candymaker Hershey Co. has yet to emerge and consumer goods group Unilever NV publicly ruled itself out last week. Billionaire Warren Buffett, whose investment firm Berkshire Hathaway is the biggest shareholder in Kraft, had said the previous Cadbury offer was "pretty full.". (MSNBC -- Business)
Market Watch: Nifty gains momentum; Axis Bank, SAIL, RIL up Nov 9, 2009
11%), Hindustan Unilever (-1. 1%) and BHEL (-0. (India Times)
Independent directors take 13% hike Nov 9, 2009
Even in this game, the government companies lag behind because of their poor pay structure, but at times manage to get good brains like D Sundaram, former finance director at Hindustan Unilever who is on the board of the State Bank of India. Infosys, TCS, Tata Steel, Dr Reddys, Siemens, Tata Chemicals and DLF are among the top private sector paymasters to outside directors. (India Times)
Techno Wrap: Promising bounce for Sensex, Nifty Nov 9, 2009
The other index stocks to go down included ACC, Hindustan Unilever, ITC and Hero Honda with losses falling between 4. 2% and 2. (India Times)
Kraft brews up $5B plan Nov 7, 2009
Sara Lee has since agreed to sell its European personal care business to Unilever for $2 billion ... Sara Lee has since agreed to sell its European personal care business to Unilever for $2 billion. (New York Post -- Business)
Demand for cold cereal warms Asheboro economy Nov 7, 2009
Just over two years ago, the company bought the former Unilever plant that made Knorr-brand dry soup and sauce products. It renovated the existing 175,000-square-foot plant to package and distribute its oatmeal brands. (Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area)
Central Casting Nov 6, 2009
Hellmann s, the mayonnaise brand owned by the processed-food giant Unilever, is test-driving a new Eat Real, Eat Local initiative in Canada. Frito-Lay s television commercials use farmers as pitchmen to position the company s potato chips as local food, while the poultry giant Foster Farms is labeling its packages of chicken locally grown. (The American Conservative)
Can Closing the Ozone Hole Also Help Combat Climate Change? Nov 6, 2009
General Electric is currently seeking U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval for its use in the U.S. Ben & Jerry's, a division of Unilever, has applied to the EPA to use propane as a refrigerant in ice-cream freezers. Both requests are pending approval due to fears over combustibility. (Scientific American)
Unilever Q3 Sales Beat Hopes on Strong Volumes Nov 6, 2009
LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Unilever PLC (UN, UL) beat expectations with its third-quarter sales performance Thursday, as volumes grew strongly for the second quarter running and margins edged higher than expected, and said it expects further volume growth in the fourth quarter. The maker of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and household products such as Dove, Lynx and Cif posted a 2% drop in sales to EUR10. (SmartMoney)
Sara Lee boosts fiscal 2010 profit forecast Nov 6, 2009
Sara Lee announced in September that it would sell its personal-care brands such as Sanex and Brylcreem to Unilever Group for $1. 87 billion. (Crain's Chicago Business)
IIM-B gets set for placements Nov 6, 2009
At IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A ), besides major investment banks, campus regulars like Hindustan Unilever, Pageo, Nokia, Coca-Cola , Feedback Ventures, Citibank, Frost van, Edelweiss and Anand Rathi made internship offers to students. IIM Lucknow and IIM-Indore is also witnessing major investment banks coming for summer placements this time. (India Times)
* World Business Quick Take Nov 6, 2009
CONSUMER GOODS Unilever profit drops 36% Unilever NV, the maker of Dove soaps and Ben s ice cream, says its profit fell 36 percent in the third quarter, due mostly to the sale of operations a year ago ... 64 billion euros in the same period a year earlier, when Unilever booked a 487 million euro gain on the sale of its seasonings businesses. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Schumpeter: Food fight Nov 6, 2009
Unilever s portfolio of local jewels includes such unlikely companies as Ben & Jerry s (the favourite ice-cream of the anti-globalisation crowd) and Marmite (which appeals to only the most refined palates) ... Allow Unilever or Nestl; to get ahead of you and you could permanently lose the war for people s taste buds. (The Economist)
United States Claims #1 Spot For First Time as World's Top Country Brand Nov 6, 2009
- Canada Holds on to Second Spot and Australia Slips to Number Three - - Global Study Expanded to Cover Regional Rankings Including Asia Pacific, Sub-Sahara Africa and the Americas. This category remains one with tremendous potential not only for tourism but investment, trade and policy. (Canada Newswire)
Unilever reports 36% fall in Q3 profit Nov 5, 2009
Unilever reports 36 pc fall in Q3 profit- International Business-News-The Economic Times ... Unilever reports 36 pc fall in Q3 profit5 Nov 2009, 1305 hrs IST, REUTERS ... AMSTERDAM: Unilever NV, the maker of Dove soaps and Ben 's ice cream, says its profit fell 36 percent in the third quarter, due mostly to the sale of operations a year ago. (India Times)
Cablevision Preps EBIF Launch Nov 5, 2009
Beginning last month, the targeted to the local New York metro region, including those from Unilever, Gillette, Benjamin Moore and department store chain Century 21. That service is based on interactive TV software that runs natively on SA boxes. (Multichannel News)
Unilever Profit, Revenue Growth Beats Analyst Estimates After Price Cuts Nov 5, 2009
Unilever Net and Sales Beats Estimates on Price Cuts (Update1) - Bloomberg ... Unilever Net and Sales Beats Estimates on Price Cuts (Update1) ... By lowering prices, boosting spending on advertising and accelerating new-product introductions, Unilever boosted the quantity of goods sold by 3. (Bloomberg -- UK)
Strong summer placements at IIMs Nov 4, 2009
"Hindustan Unilever and Procter e, which are on top of the preference list of students looking at a career in marketing, were back on campus to recruit summer interns for 2010," said Nabar. The mood is exuberant at IIM-Bangalore where summer placements are expected to begin from November 6. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
Detergent prices to rise 20% Nov 3, 2009
NEW DELHI: Economy-segment detergents such as Hindustan Unilevers Wheel, Ghadi from Kanpur Trading Company and Fena may be more expensive by 10-20%, following the levy of 20% safeguard duty on soda ash - a key component of detergent production ... Since the composition of soda ash in high-end detergent brands like Surf (Hindustan Unilever), Procter les Ariel and Henkels Henko is about half compared to the economy segment, premium brands will be only marginally impacted by the safeguard... (India Times)
World Cup to spice up Food Solutions volumes Nov 2, 2009
Food Solutions, the Unilever subsidiary that supplies sauces, dressing and spices to the food service industry, expects volumes to rise substantially next year as tourists flood to South Africa. Eelco Camminga, the vice-president at Food Solutions, said last week volumes were expected to be up by more than 20 percent for the months of June and July based on demand from hotels, restaurants and event caterers. (Business Report, South Africa)
Missing Lynx effect sparks litigation Nov 2, 2009
Vaibhav Bedi, 26, wants Unilever to compensate him $91,000 for the "depression and psychological damage" caused by a lack of any "Lynx effect", the Daily Record reports ... Unilever has refused to comment on the lawsuit but Mr Bedi's lawyer Ram Jethmalani has urged the company to settle out of court. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Correction Time: Stock market faced sell-off last week Nov 2, 2009
The other index stocks to go up included Wipro, Sun Pharmaceutical, Grasim and Hindustan Unilever with gains between 3. 2% and 0. (India Times)
Hindustan Unilever Profit Falls 22% on Increased Spending for Marketing Nov 1, 2009
Hindustan Unilever Profit Falls on One-time Charge (Update2) - Bloomberg ... Hindustan Unilever Profit Falls on One-time Charge (Update2) ... Hindustan Unilever has increased spending on advertisements and promotions by 38 percent as it introduced new versions of its soaps and spent more on personal-care products to garner a higher share of the Indian market as competition from Procter & Gamble Co., ITC Ltd. and other rivals intensified. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
Hindustan Unilever net down 22 pc Nov 1, 2009
Hindustan Unilever July-Sept net down 22 pct- Stocks in News-Stocks-Markets-The Economic Times ... Hindustan Unilever July-Sept net down 22 pct31 Oct 2009, 1540 hrs IST, REUTERS ... 28 NOTE: Hindustan Unilever Ltd is India's consumer goods company. (India Times)
Homestead students story rewarded with tasty treats Nov 1, 2009
Thanks to the creativity of one student, Unilever maker of the Popsicle brand sent 800 Popsicles to the Lewisville ISD school ... Principal Sean Perry thought the Popsicles were a good gesture from Unilever. (McKinney Courier-Gazette, TX)
Lovefilm: British Answer to Netflix Booms Oct 31, 2009
Despite studying computer science, his first job was in sales and marketing for Unilever, where he knew many of the brands from years of stacking shelves at his family's shop in Gloucester. After working as a consultant he joined Pepsi, becoming UK vice-president at the age of 29, and masterminding the launch of Pepsi Max. (BusinessWeek)
The Omega-3 Battle: Which Margarine Is Healthier? Oct 31, 2009
Unilever, which sells margarine containing omega-3s, insists that its labels are accurate ... "It's not a competition between these different omega-3s all are essential for the diet, " says Anne Heughan, Unilever's director of external affairs for Europe ... Moreover, she says, Unilever is within the guidelines set by the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) on nutritional labeling. (Time.com)
FMCG hold their own in slow times Oct 30, 2009
Companies such as Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Nestle, Procter e, Godrej and Dabur are shifting focus to volume growth and making higher investments in mass brands. HUL, which had been focusing on premium high-margin products, is now sharpening its mass-products strategy. (India Times)
FMCG stocks buck trend; metals, realty drag Oct 29, 2009
The BSE FMCG Index rose nearly 1 per cent on the back of gains in Hindustan Unilever (1. 69%), Marico Industries (1. (India Times)
Homestead students story rewarded with tasty treats Oct 28, 2009
Thanks to the creativity of one student, Unilever maker of the Popsicle brand sent 800 Popsicles to the Lewisville ISD school ... Principal Sean Perry thought the Popsicles were a good gesture from Unilever. (McKinney Courier-Gazette, TX)
Nokia looks to tap billion customers in rural India Oct 28, 2009
Clearly the top brass at Nokia including D Shivakumar, MD, Nokia India are drawing from lessons learnt during their stints in FMCG, particularly HUL. Clearly the way they approach the rural marketing has shades of Unilever in it. The seriousness depth with which they build their understanding of the rural consumer has clear inspiration from their stints at Unilever, remarks a senior official close to the project. (India Times)
Federal agency says it will police and help streamline food packaging claims Oct 27, 2009
Unilever to phase out Smart Choices labels. Unilever PLC said late Monday it has decided to phase out use of the Smart Choices logo on its food and beverage products now that the Food and Drug Administration plans to standardize criteria for food nutrition labels. (Fresno Bee -- Lifestyle)
Smart Choices Food Labels Halted on FDA Warning Oct 27, 2009
Participating companies include: Kellogg Co, Kraft Foods Inc and General Mills Inc, Unilever PLC, PepsiCo Inc's Quaker Foods and ConAgra Foods Inc. Some foods carrying the Smart Choices seal include: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Baked Cheese Crackers, Country Crock spread and Froot Loops and Cocoa Krispies breakfast cereals. The Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday it was examining nutrition claims on the front of packages and would take action against false or misleading claims. (MEDLINEplus)
Unilever to Phase out Smart Choices Labels Oct 27, 2009
Unilever to stop using healthy food logos while FDA develops standard criteria for labels ... Unilever PLC said late Monday it has decided to phase out use of the Smart Choices logo on its food and beverage products now that the Food and Drug Administration plans to standardize criteria for food nutrition labels ... Unilever, which makes Ragu sauce, WishBone salad dressings, Klondike bars, Breyers ice cream and Slim Fast shakes, among other products, said it will await the FDA's direction on... (ABC News -- Wire)
FMCG, retail bicker over margins Oct 26, 2009
Grocers are giving discounts on branded products like detergents, shampoos, soaps, oil, atta and other grocery products from 5-20% by collectively sourcing or aligning themselves with corporates like Hindustan Unilever, Pothers to be their preferred suppliers, who are adopting these stores and working with them to manage inventory better. 1. (India Times)
Unilever Foundation to support growth and development Oct 25, 2009
Accra, Oct. 24, GNA - Unilever Ghana has initiated a strategic move under a new foundation called Unilever Ghana Foundation (UGF) to support accelerated growth and development in the country ... Mr Charles Cofie, Chief Executive Officer of Unilever Ghana, said promoting investment and improving productivity were ingredients for socio-economic development. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Sara Lee unit draws P&G's eye: report Oct 23, 2009
Last month, the company announced it was selling its European health and beauty business, which included its Sanex and Radox brands, to Unilever NV for about $1. 9 billion. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Pillar of history: House of Godrej Oct 23, 2009
Professor Haynes, whos father was one of the earliest visiting faculty members at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), regaled the audience with the story of the marketing efforts of Hindustan Unilever, TOMCO and Godrej Soaps in the midst of the freedom struggle. The second lecture in the series was delivered by retired IIMA professor Dwijendra Tripathi, the doyen of business history studies in India. (India Times)
Market Watch: Sensex below 17,000; capital goods, realty down Oct 22, 2009
65%) and Hindustan Unilever (1. 42%) were amongst the Sensex gainers. (India Times)
Multichannel Newswire Oct 21, 2009
Cablevision Systems has signed deals with at least four marketers -- Unilever, Gillette, Benjamin Moore and department store chain Century 21 -- for its interactive TV service that lets digital-cable viewers click their remotes to get more information or product samples during a 30-second local ad spot. Grupo PRISA, the world's largest Spanish-language media company, has agreed to acquire a 12% stake on V-me Media, Inc. the New York-based company that owns Spanish-language network V-me, the... (Multichannel News)
Cadbury PLC revenue up Oct 21, 2009
Cadbury management is clearly fighting hard, while rumors of interest from Unilever continue to build,'' Bowman said. Kraft faces a Nov. 9 ``put up or shut up'' deadline set by London's Takeover Panel to make a firm offer for Cadbury or walk away for six months. (India Times)
Pick n Pay reads riot act to suppliers Oct 21, 2009
Pick n Pay's large suppliers, based on the group's shelf products, include Tiger, AVI, Unilever, Pioneer, Premier, Colgate, Kelloggs, Jft, Master Foods, Nampak, National Brands and Nola, among others. Gilmour said some suppliers had genuine reasons for price rises, such as specialised imported products affected by rand weakness. (Business Report, South Africa)
Foster's Faces Profit `Challenges' as Aussie Dollar Rally Hurting Exports Oct 21, 2009
Johnston, a former executive with Cadbury Plc and Unilever Plc, decided to keep the wine unit in February and is trying to revive earnings by focusing on its biggest brands, such as Penfolds, Lindemans and Rosemount. The company spent A$6. (Bloomberg -- Australia & New Zealand)
VOD-Plus-DVD Idea Died a Quiet Death Oct 21, 2009
The MSOs early clients include Gillette, Benjamin Moore and Unilever (see ). Get free stuff while you watch TV. (Multichannel News)
Cablevision's Interactive Ads Click With Four Marketers Oct 21, 2009
New York New York -- Cablevision Systems has signed deals with at least four marketers -- Unilever, Gillette, Benjamin Moore and department store chain Century 21 -- for its interactive TV service that lets digital-cable viewers click their remotes to get more information or product samples during a 30-second local ad spot ... Gillette's campaign offered Cablevision customers a free bottle of 2-in-1 face wash/body wash, while Unilever is offering a sample of Degree Fine Fragrance Body Mist. (Multichannel News)
Inside Trader Has Long Faced Scrutiny in Sri Lanka Oct 20, 2009
Rajaratnam had agreed to donate $1 million for the government project, funded by the governments of Japan and the U.S. and local business giants like Aitken Spence, Brandix, Ceylon Tobacco, Dilmah, Hayleys, John Keells, MAS Holdings and Unilever. "We initiated the program and the formal agreements were signed in September," Sarath Godakanda, an official at the Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms, told TIME. It was not clear whether the funds pledged by Rajaratnam had already been received. (Time.com)
Insanitary living threatens NHIS survival Oct 20, 2009
The campaign was initiated by Colgate Palmolive, Unilever, Procter e, while the World Bank, United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) WHO, LSHTM and WSP are the other global partners. Source:Justice Lee Adoboe. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Nifty hits 52-week high as Samvat 2066 begins Oct 18, 2009
59%) and Hindustan Unilever (-0. 54%) capped the gains. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
Kraft in talks to sell Maxwell House to Sara Lee: report Oct 17, 2009
Maxwell House would fit with Sara Lee CEO goal of expanding the company's food and beverage business following the sale of its international personal care business to Unilever for $2 billion. The sale would likely fetch between $2. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Nielsen Huddles With Clients On TV-Internet Measurement Oct 17, 2009
CIMM's founding members are comprised of seven media companies, CBS, Discovery Communications, NBC Universal, News Corp., Time Warner Inc., Viacom and The Walt Disney Co.; four ad agencies, GroupM, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands, Omnicom Media Group and Starcom MediaVest Group Worldwide; and three large advertisers, AT&T, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Holmes said the meeting "is not in reaction to CIMM" and said the such as Comcast's On Demand Online. (Multichannel News)
Kraft may 'drop' Maxwell House Oct 16, 2009
In late September Sara Lee agreed to sell its European personal care business for $2 billion to Unilever ... In late September Sara Lee agreed to sell its European personal care business for $2 billion to Unilever. (New York Post -- Business)
Selling foreign goods in China: Impenetrable Oct 16, 2009
Unilever is thought to sell less than half as much; its local operations are barely profitable. AIG, an American insurance firm, was founded in Shanghai and has won greater access to China than many of its competitors. (The Economist)
Market Watch: Sensex turns choppy; IT, FMCG, pharma slip Oct 15, 2009
24%), HINDustan UNILever (-2. 12%) and TCS (-1. (India Times)
Pakistan's Engro to Build $1 Billion Phosphate Fertilizer Plant in Africa Oct 15, 2009
Pakistans consumer goods market is led by units of Nestle SA and Unilever NV, the worlds largest and third-largest food companies. Pakistani rice is very high quality but sells at a discount against competitors because its not branded or marketed properly, Umar said. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
Eskom's plan a disaster Oct 15, 2009
Online Edition Powered By IOL. DisplayAds('SkyLEFT',17,). (Business Report, South Africa)
Unilever names worst fear: an L-shaped future Oct 15, 2009
Gail Klintworth, the chairman of Unilever South Africa, has warned her staff to prepare for the worst ... For Unilever - which sells food, homecare and personal hygiene products, many of which are not basic supplies - it is paramount that consumers have disposable income ... Klintworth, who was speaking yesterday at the Durban Chemicals Cluster event, joked that in the middle of the month there were more Unilever merchandisers in stores than customers. (Business Report, South Africa)
Premium goods back on the shelf Oct 15, 2009
NEW DELHI: Just when the countrys largest non-durable consumer products firm Hindustan Unilever shifted its focus from premium brands to value brands to fight back a slide in its market share, high-end, high-margin products are staging a comeback on the back of improved consumer sentiment in urban centres ... Just when the non-durable consumer products firm Hindustan Unilever shifted its focus from premium brands to value brands, high-end, high-margin products are staging a comeback on the... (India Times)
HUL's 'Kissan' under govt scanner Oct 14, 2009
NEW DELHI: In a first-ever instance, global consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever is under government lens for making tall claims on its malted beverage Kissan Amaze by declaring that it gives 33% key brain nutrients required by children daily ... We have set up a committee specifically to examine claims made by Hindustan Unilever and see how scientific they are ... Hindustan Unilever launched Kissan Amaze in February last year a specifically designed brainfood for school going... (India Times)
Women Entrepreneurs attend workshop Oct 12, 2009
The workshop, sponsored by Unilever Ghana Foundation, was aimed at improving the capacity of participants. Mr Andrew E. Quayson, Chairman of Unilever Foundation for Education and Development, advised participants to apply the knowledge and skills they would acquire at the workshop diligently to improve their businesses ... He said " The workshop would enable you to invest more in economic activities and create more jobs and enhance your contribution to your communities." Mr Quayson said the... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Tariff war: New telcos to face tough times Oct 12, 2009
Between 2003 and 2004, a price war to gain market share had broken out between the two traditional rivals Hindustan Unilever (then HLL) and Procter e in the detergents market. First, it was HLL which reduced the price of Surf Excel in 2003. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
Market undergoes healthy correction Oct 10, 2009
However, Hindustan Unilever gained 8. 26 per cent, Colgate 8. (India Times)
Upbeat industry underpins Unilever Oct 10, 2009
Shares in Unilever rose 2. 7 per cent to 18. (FT.com -- Markets)
Most companies take regulation for granted Oct 9, 2009
You can appoint anyone you want to be the compliance officer and make sure he ticks all the right boxes as far as implementation is concerned , but what is important is to drive it down to the lowest level of the company and make it a part of every employees behaviour, says Ashok Gupta, Executive Director, Legal, Hindustan Unilever. The company is governed by certain principles called Code of Business Principles (COBP), which sets the boundaries within which all employees from the... (India Times)
Best fund managers who have weathered the storm Oct 9, 2009
He bought into the stocks of ITC, Indias biggest cigarette maker, Hindustan Unilever, the makers of Lifebuoy soaps and Sun Pharma ... Like Upadhyaya, he picked up stocks of Glaxo and Hindustan Unilever. (India Times)
Ghana's economy ready to take off - Yamson Oct 8, 2009
Dr Ishmael Yamson, former Chairman of Unilever Ghana, on Wednesday said the environment was ideal for Ghana's economy to take off. He said Ghanaians must demand good leadership and develop an inspiring long-term vision to create a competitive economy that would be beneficial for the present and future generations. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
