History of Unilever
Unilever was formed in 1929 through the merger of the British soap manufacturer Lever Brothers and the Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie. Lever Brothers had been founded in the 1880s by William Hesketh Lever and had established a range of branded soap products. Margarine Unie was a consolidation of Dutch and German butter substitute producers. The combined entity created one of the largest consumer goods companies in the world at the time of its formation.
Over subsequent decades, Unilever expanded its portfolio across household care, personal care, and food and beverage categories. Acquisitions added brands including Dove, Knorr, Hellmann's, Lipton, and Ben & Jerry's. The company operates in over 190 countries. It has faced criticism from investors and NGOs over the pace and credibility of its sustainability commitments, and has periodically restructured its governance and portfolio, including divesting its tea business and spinning off other units.
In July 2021, Ben & Jerry's — an ice cream brand owned by Unilever — announced it would not renew the licence of its Israeli distributor and would cease sales in Israeli-occupied territories. The decision drew legal threats and political pressure from the Israeli government and several US states. In 2022, Unilever resolved the dispute by selling the Israeli Ben & Jerry's licence to its local distributor, Avi Zinger, allowing sales to continue in Israel under the existing brand name — a move Ben & Jerry's publicly opposed.