2000
Press releases
- Unilever introduces teleconference briefing initiative
- 18/12/2000:
Unilever announced today that it is to move to a policy of holding a quarterly teleconference as a precursor to its 'close' period, ahead of the quarterly results announcements.This is in line with Unilever's continuing commitment to further enhance communication with investors and the financial markets.
- Unilever completes refinancing of Bestfoods acquisition
- 06/12/2000:
Unilever has completed its refinancing of the Bestfoods acquisition for this year by launching another bond issue, a two tranche deal in Sterling and Dollars.
- Unilever to acquire home and personal care businesses in Tunisia
- 03/07/2000:
Unilever is to acquire the outstanding shares of Codepar S.A. and SPCD S.A., two related home and personal care companies in Tunisia, for an undisclosed sum. The transaction is subject to regulatory and stock exchange approval in Tunisia.
- Unilever launches another Eurobond issue
- 29/11/2000:
Unilever took a further step towards refinancing the commercial paper issued to fund the Bestfoods acquisition today by launching an innovative two tranche (Euro and Sterling) bond issue.
- Unilever launches € 2.25 bn Eurobond issue
- 16/11/2000:
Unilever took a further step in refinancing Commercial Paper raised for settlement of the Bestfoods acquisition by launching today a € 2.25 bn Euro issue.
- Unilever announces third quarter results 2000
- 03/11/2003:
Unilever today announced its third quarter and first nine months results for 2000.
- Unilever to sell Elizabeth Arden to FFI Fragrances for $225 million
- 31/10/2000:
Unilever today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Elizabeth Arden business, brands and certain assets to FFI Fragrances based in Miami Lakes, Florida, USA, for a consideration of approximately $225 million (€268 million approx). The transaction, subject to customary conditions including regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed around the year end.
- Unilever's results
- 20/10/2000:
Unilever's results for the third quarter and the interim dividend for 2000 will be announced in the morning of Friday, 3 November, at 08.00 hours Continental European Time.
- Unilever plans sale of Bestfoods Baking business
- 16/10/2000:
Unilever announced today that it intends to divest Bestfoods Baking Company in the USA. The business was acquired as part of Unilever’s merger with Bestfoods which closed on October 4.
- Unilever mandates syndicate of lead banks for global debt issue
- 04/10/2000:
Unilever has mandated three banks in connection with a US$7 billion multi-tranche global US dollar issue.
- Unilever completes Bestfoods acquisition
- 04/10/2000:
Announcement of completion of deal
- Unilever completes sale of European bakery supplies business
- 04/10/2000:
Announcement of completion of sale to CSM nv.
- Juan Muñoz to create next work for Unilever Series at Tate Modern
- 03/10/2000:
Spanish sculptor Juan Muñoz, renowned for his works situating the human figure within elaborate or complex architectural settings, is today named as the second artist to be commissioned for The Unilever Series at Tate Modern.
- Unilever shareholders give green light to Bestfoods acquisition
- 02/10/2000:
Unilever shareholders today voted in favour of the acquisition of Bestfoods at separate meetings in London and Rotterdam.
- Unilever strengthens Latin American operations
- 03/10/2000:
Unilever acquires controlling interest in Ecuadorian partner, giving presence there in all corporate categories.
- Bestfoods shareholders favour Unilever deal
- 02/10/2000:
Seven senior Bestfoods executives were today named by Unilever among the top positions for the newly created Foods Division.
- Bestfoods executives appointed to top positions in Unilever's new Foods division
- 02/10/2000:
Seven senior Bestfoods executives were today named by Unilever among the top positions for the newly created Foods Division.
- Unilever/Bestfoods merger cleared by EU Commission
- 28/09/2000:
Remedies package agreed to address competition concerns.
- Business must be 'part of the solution' if globalisation is to work for all
- 19/09/2000:
Niall FitzGerald, Chairman of Unilever, today argued that business “is part of the solution, not part of the problem” when it comes to extending the benefits of globalisation as widely as possible.
- Nelson Mandela awards Unilever Scholarships
- 15/09/2000:
Scholars' Call to Service initiative demonstrates commitment to South Africa.
- Unilever/Bestfoods merger H-S-R review period expires
- 11/09/2000:
Unilever and Bestfoods today announced that the waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Act has expired, effectively clearing the transaction by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
- Unilever intends selling Bodegraven factory to Budelpack International
- 07/09/2000:
Unilever proposes selling the Lever Fabergé production unit in Bodegraven, the Netherlands, to Budelpack International in Poortvliet. Budelpack will continue production in the factory as Unilever’s strategic partner. Lever Fabergé in Bodegraven has 66 employees. No compulsory redundancies are expected to result from the acquisition. Financial details have not been disclosed.
- Unilever pledges introduction of environmentally friendly freezers
- 04/09/2000:
The world’s largest ice cream manufacturer pledges to step up its move to more environmentally friendly refrigerants for its freezer.
- Unilever launches extended environment report on line
- 04/09/2000:
Unilever today launched its Environment Report 2000 in a restyled format, making use of the web to publish and update environmental performance data on-line.
- Unilever chooses Compaq and IBM as global computing partners
- 22/08/2000:
Unilever has reached a global agreement with Compaq and IBM for the supply and service of all its back office computing requirements. The deal -- expected to save Unilever more than Euros 25m per annum - significantly simplifies the existing systems and will enable faster adoption of global e-commerce opportunities.
- Unilever invites shareholders to vote on Bestfoods acquisition
- 16/08/2000:
Unilever shareholders will be asked to approve the acquisition of Bestfoods at extraordinary general meetings in London and Rotterdam on Monday October 2, 2000.
- Unilever buys Swirl's ice cream in the Netherlands
- 11/08/2000:
Unilever is to acquire Swirl’s, a franchise operation for soft ice cream products in the Netherlands. Financial details were not disclosed.
- Van den Bergh Nederland and Van Dijk Food Products in brand swap
- 07/08/2000:
Van den Bergh Nederland in Rotterdam (a subsidiary of Unilever Nederland) and Van Dijk Food Products in Lopik have reached agreement on a strategic swap of products and brands.
- Unilever announces second quarter 2000 results
- 04/08/2000:
Unilever today announced its second quarter 2000 results. Full details can be found in the results section of this site.
- Realignment of senior management structure at Unilever
- 04/08/2000:
Unilever today announced an evolution of its top management structure, creating improved alignment to fulfil its Path to Growth strategy. This stems from the review of Unilever’s top organisation announced in February.
- Chairman calls for Government to guide public opinion on science
- 20/07/2000:
Niall FitzGerald, writing in Financial Times, Personal View column, says the government must guide public opinion if science is to be rescued from crisis of confidence.
- Unilever's results
- 20/07/2000:
Second quarter results date announced
- Unilever chairman calls for united approach to promote benefits of science
- 11/07/2000:
Niall FitzGerald calls for government, academia and industry to pull together to give consumers a more realistic sense of what science can really deliver.
- Unilever to sell European Bakery Supplies business for € 700 million
- 11/07/2000:
Unilever announced today that it has reached an agreement in principle to sell its European Bakery Supplies Business (EBSB) to CSM nv, the Dutch food products and ingredients company, for a debt free price of € 700 million, payable in cash.
- Unilever to sponsor new Netherlands oceanium
- 28/06/2000:
Unilever is to become main sponsor of the new Oceanium at Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam, an attraction unique within Europe where visitors go on a guided tour of the world’s oceans.
- Unilever's cholesterol lowering spread first to be endorsed by EU
- 27/06/2000:
The EU Standing Committee for Foodstuffs has voted in favour of a Commission decision authorising Unilever to market Flora pro.activ, a cholesterol lowering spread, in the EU. This decision is specific to Unilever’s product, made with natural plant sterols.
- Unilever statement
- 23/06/2000:
Second quarter results date announced
- Unilever and Bestfoods - Supplementary Information
- 06/06/2000:
Supplementary information.
- Unilever and Bestfoods sign definitive merger agreement for acquisition of Bestfoods at $73 per share
- 06/06/2000:
Unilever and Bestfoods sign definitive merger agreement for acquisition of Bestfoods at $73 per share. Pre-eminent global food and consumer goods company created. Transaction Valued At $24.3 Billion.
- Unilever Belgium sells Schoten meat factory
- 29/05/2000:
Unilever Belgium sells meat factory at Schoten to the Dutch Struik Food Group.
- European Food Authority needs greater independence
- 26/05/2000:
Unilever chairman Antony Burgmans says European Food Authority needs more independence if it is to fulfil its task.
- New advisory director appointed
- 17/05/2000:
Unilever today announced the appointment of Lord Simon of Highbury CBE as an advisory director.
- Unilever completes Ben & Jerry's Homemade tender offer
- 16/05/2000:
Unilever's tender offer through a subsidiary to acquire all the outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. at a purchase price of US$43.60 per share in cash has expired.
- Unilever completes acquisition of Slim•Fast
- 15/05/2000:
Unilever today announced the completion of its previously-announced acquisition of theSlim•FastFood Companies and their nutritional product and health snack business for US$ 2.3 billion ( € 2.4 bln approx). The Slim•Fast Food Companies are now wholly-owned subsidiaries of Unilever.
- Expiration of Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period relating to acquisition of Ben & Jerry's
- 11/05/2000:
Unilever announces expiration of Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period relating to the acquisition of Ben & Jerry's Homemade, inc.
- Unilever announces first quarter 2000 results
- 10/05/2000:
Unilever today announced its first quarter 2000 results. Full details can be found in the results section of this site.
- Chairman unveils Unilever Series at Tate Modern
- 04/05/2000:
Giant Towers and Spider Chosen for Inaugural Work in 5-year £1.25m Sponsorship.
- Unilever and Bestfoods
- 03/05/2000:
Unilever confirms that it made a non-public proposal to Bestfoods in the United States seeking to enter into negotiations to acquire all the outstanding stock of Bestfoods for US$ 66 per share in cash, subject to certain conditions. Unilever believes that its proposal represents an exciting opportunity for both companies, their respective shareholders and consumers.
- Shareholders elect new directors
- 03/05/2000:
Shareholders elected three new directors to the boards of Unilever at the annual general meetings in London and Rotterdam today.
- Unilever enhances its global IT infrastructure service
- 19/04/2000:
Unilever today announced plans to consolidate its European IT infrastructure service into a new single Infrastructure Management Centre based in Port Sunlight, UK. The move will create a world-class IT infrastructure across all Unilever’s European businesses which will support business growth and ensure rapid rollout of new applications and technology. The programme will give Unilever a significant advantage by allowing it to exploit e-business opportunities across the company.
- Unilever to buy leading US food group for US$ 2.3 billion
- 12/04/2000:
Unilever has agreed to buy Slim•Fast Foods Company, a leading US-based food business best known for its nutritionally-balanced products, for US$ 2.3 billion (€ 2.4 bln approx) cash.
- Ben & Jerry's board approves Unilever offer
- 12/04/2000:
Unilever today confirmed that the Board of Directors of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc has approved Unilever’s offer of $43.60 per share for all of the 8.4 million outstanding shares of the company on a fully diluted basis, valuing the transaction at $326 million.
- European Food Authority must have greater resources to restore public confidence, says Unilever chairman
- 30/03/2000:
Niall FitzGerald addresses Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development at Dublin Castle on consumers, sustainability and food safety.
- Professor Dr. Rolf Birk part-time professor of Unilever-sponsored chair at Leiden University
- 20/03/2000:
Professor Dr. Rolf Birk (61) was today installed as part-time professor of the Unilever-sponsored chair for international company law at the Law Faculty of the University of Leiden. This chair was specifically established to conduct research into cross-border business and to promote the creation of the European Company
- Unilever cosmetics international in licensing agreement with Vera Wang
- 20/03/2000:
Unilever Cosmetics International signs exclusive licensing agreement with Vera Wang, the world's premier designer of luxury wedding dresses, to develop the designer's first fragrance.
- New international cosmetics company created to drive growth
- 07/03/2000:
Unilever announced today that it has created a new company, Unilever Cosmetics International, to extend its global portfolio of prestige beauty and fragrance brands.
- Unilever launches B2B eCommerce Initiative with Ariba
- 03/03/2000:
Unilever to use the Ariba B2B eCommerce platform to improve supply chain efficiency.
- Important steps towards certification of fish products
- 02/03/2000:
Unilever moves closer to fulfilling its commitment to buying all fish from sustainable sources by 2005
- Unilever to acquire Grupo Cressida
- 02/03/2000:
Acquisition of the Honduras-based company will double Unilever's presence in Central America.
- Unilever: Year End 1999
- 22/02/2000:
Unilever today announced its full year results for 1999.
- Unilever plans faster growth
- 22/02/2000:
Unilever today detailed its plans to accelerate top line growth and step up the rate of margin improvement.
- Unilever acquisitions and disposals in 1999
- 22/02/2000:
Unilever made 27 acquisitions in 1999.
- Unilever announces three new directors
- 22/02/2000:
Three new directors to be recommended to Unilever shareholders
- Unilever extends online advertising with Microsoft into Europe
- 20/02/2000:
Unilever has extended its online advertising with Microsoft into Europe through a three-year agreement for the development of interactive and online marketing strategies for Unilever’s key brands in France, Germany and the U.K.
- Unilever and iVillage form new internet company
- 15/02/2000:
$200 Million in cash, intellectual property, marketing and other resources to be provided.
