Some CEOs grow by adding. Others grow by letting go.
Some CEOs grow by adding. Others grow by letting go.
Unilever is exploring selling parts of its foods business to McCormick, including Unilever-owned brands like Hellmann’s and Knorr.
That kind of move tells you leadership wants sharper focus, not a bigger footprint.
And in a business like Unilever’s, narrowing the playing field can be its own growth strategy. Fewer categories. Clearer priorities. More capital behind what they believe can compound.
But divestitures are never just a mathematical exercise. You give up revenue today to build a stronger position tomorrow.
So the real question isn’t only “do margins improve?”
It’s whether leadership is redefining Unilever’s very identity.
Here’s what I’d watch first: once the portfolio is more streamlined, do the remaining categories show more consistent growth and steadier margin expansion?
When CEOs take actions like this, do you read it as discipline… or a sign that growth is getting harder to find?
🔗 Source: Unilever in Talks to Sell Food Business to Smaller US Rival McCormick
