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Consumer goods firm Unilever PLC has bought upmarket refillable personal care brand Wild to add to its stable of household names. The London-based Dove soap to Marmite group acquired Wild for an undisclosed sum but reports said the deal could be worth up to £230 million. Wild backed by the founders of Innocent Drinks makes premium deodorants, lip balms, bodywashes and handwashes using plant-based ingredients, with refillable, plastic-free packaging. Fabian Garcia, president of Unilever Personal Care, said: ‘The brand’s innovative approach to formulations and packaging, and social-first marketing, has made Wild an unmissably superior brand and a perfect complement to our personal care portfolio.’ He added that the group has ‘put consumers at the heart of the brand, which is a testament to its success’. Wild Co-Founder Charlie Bowes-Lyon said: ‘Joining Unilever marks an exciting new chapter for Wild. Our mission to remove single-use plastic from the bathroom with desirable, innovative personal care products will be hugely strengthened by leveraging Unilever’s expertise, scale and reach to further grow the brand and bring our vision to more consumers.’ Wild was launched in 2020 by Bowes-Lyon and Freddy Ward with a mission to help remove single-use plastic from bathrooms. The group is thought to have raised around £10 million from external investors, including Jamjar Ventures, the investment vehicle of Innocent Drinks’ founders, Redbus Ventures and Slingshot Ventures. For Unilever, it comes as the group is undergoing a major turnaround plan, which involves 7,500 previously announced job cuts, as well as moves to trim the number of brands in its food division and focus more attention on its biggest sellers. It is also offloading its Ben & Jerry’s and Wall’s ice cream division, announcing plans earlier this month to spin it off with a stock market listing in Amsterdam, alongside additional listings in London and New York. Former chief financial officer Fernando Fernandez last month took on the top job at Unilever, replacing ex-chief executive Hein Schumacher, who left the role ‘by mutual agreement’ after less than two years at the helm. Fernandez was also previously president of beauty and wellbeing at Unilever. Unilever shares rose 0.7% to 4,643.00 pence each on Tuesday morning in London. By Holly Williams, PA Business Editor Press Association: Finance source: PA Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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