Unilever acquires UK’s snack brand Graze for $193m

Unilever has acquired the holding company of Graze, a UK-based snack brand that was set up in 2008 as a snack box delivery service.

According to various media reports, Unilever has paid £150m ($193m) to acquire the brand.

Graze currently offers a wide range of food snacks including snacking nuts, seeds, trail mixes and snack bars that are claimed to be free from artificial ingredients.

Its products are available via retail stores, ecommerce and direct to consumer.

Unilever’s Food & Refreshment business president Nitin Paranjpe said: “Graze is the leading healthy snacking brand in the UK, delivering consumers fabulously tasty snacking options, delivered in beautiful packaging.

“A truly multichannel brand, Graze offers personalisation, convenience and great nutrition, brilliantly meeting the needs of millennial consumers. Accelerating our presence in healthy foods and out-of-home this is an excellent strategic fit for the Unilever Food & Refreshment business and a wonderful addition to our stable of purpose-driven brands.

“We look forward to working with the Graze team to grow the business, leveraging their tech and e-commerce expertise for our wider portfolio, and offering more consumers the opportunity to snack in a healthier way.”

The broad portfolio of healthy snack products offered by Graze is expected to strengthen Unilever’s presence in the healthy snacking and out-of-home markets.

Graze CEO Anthony Fletcher said: “This deal marks a transformational moment in Graze’s growth journey. Graze believes that learning from Unilever’s sustainable living plan will become a key driver for the business.

“Graze has an incredibly exciting future ahead as part of Unilever and we look forward to working closely with the team to keep on inventing new healthy snacks, as well as continuing to work to understand the role technology can play in improving the food industry.”

Last December, Unilever expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of The Vegetarian Butcher to meet the growing demand among consumers for vegetarian and vegan meals.

The acquisition was in line with Unilever’s strategy to add plant-based foods into its portfolio that are healthier and have a lower environmental impact.