Candy Kittens: ‘We want to be the Unilever of challenger brands’ Retail When Ed Williams and Jamie Laing first set up Candy Kittens in 2012, they dreamt of being bought by Unilever. Now – 13 years later – they’ve bought healthy snack brand Graze from the consumer giant for a fraction of what Unilever paid for it in 2019. “Everybody’s supermarkets are dominated by big players,” co-founder [...]
Don’t overlook UK stocks in 2026 Business The UK stock market has long been shunned by retail investors, as the AI boom, inflation woes and gloomy economic conditions spark the search for greater returns in overseas markets, particularly the US. While this narrative has held back many investors from tapping into the UK, the London index has bounced back in 2025, with [...]
COP out: Big businesses swerve climate conference Business COP 26 in Glasgow represented a high-water mark for companies flouting their ambitious transition plans and lofty climate credentials. This year’s summit could not be more different, writes Ali Lyon. Reclining on stage at the 26th COP summit in his native Glasgow, Alan Jope was at home both literally and spiritually. The Unilever chief executive [...]
Who is ‘Drastic Dave’, the man sent to save Diageo? November 11, 2025 Diageo shareholders breathed a sigh of relief this morning after the FTSE 100 drinks giant unveiled the appointment of its new chief executive, Sir Dave Lewis. Shares rose 7.5 per cent in morning trading to 1,856 pence following the selection of the retail and consumer goods veteran, rebounding from their sharp drop last Thursday following [...]
Guinness owner Diageo shares rocket after appointment of ‘Drastic Dave’ November 10, 2025 Shares in FTSE 100 drinks giant Diageo have rocketed after the appointment of a new chief executive with an impressive turnaround record. News of the appointment of retail and consumer goods veteran Sir Dave Lewis saw shares in the struggling giant rise 6.8 per cent in early morning trading to 1,845p, rebounding from their sharp [...]
Unilever: US government shutdown delays ice cream float October 21, 2025 Consumer goods giant Unilever has paused the launch of its ice-cream arm on New York’s stock exchange due to delays at the bourse’s security commission. The US government shut down at the start of October when Democrats and Republicans failed to come to an agreement on spending, with no end in sight. Unilever said the [...]
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder quits after being ‘silenced’ by Unilever September 17, 2025 Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield has quit the company on social activism grounds as he claims the ice cream brand has been ‘silenced’ by its parent firm. In a statement co-founder Ben Cohen shared on X, Greenfield said he was “profoundly disappointed” to “come to the conclusion that [the brand’s] independence, the very basis [...]
Ben & Jerry’s founders call for release from parent company on social justice grounds September 9, 2025 The co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s have written to the board of The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC) and Magnum’s potential investors, requesting that the brand be released from the conglomerate. “Ben & Jerry’s was founded on a simple but radical premise: that our business could thrive and make outstanding products whilst standing up for progressive [...]
Workspace vacate London HQ for Unilever-acquired Wild Cosmetics August 26, 2025 Wild Cosmetics has signed a new lease with Workspace which will see it move into Workspace’s current head office at Kennington Park. Workspace, which owns and manages flexible office and light industrial spaces, will move its headquarters to The Centro Buildings in Camden. Freddy Ward, co-founder of Wild, said he was “really happy” to be [...]
Unilever: Ice cream success boosts sales but profit drops July 31, 2025 Unilever has announced a drop in profit amid expensive disposals and unfavourable currency moves. Turnover at the FTSE100 firm, which owns brands like Dove, Colman’s and Persil, was €30.1bn, down 3.2 per cent year on year. Sales rose 3.4 per cent in the first half of the year, helped by a strong performance in Unilever’s [...]