Unilever sharpens global brand focus with Zwitsal sale
Key takeaways
- Unilever has received a binding offer from Royal Sanders for Zwitsal, with completion expected in Q1 of 2027.
- The company says Zwitsal’s predominantly local footprint is less aligned with its strategy of concentrating resources behind large, internationally scalable Power Brands.
- The sale accompanies increased investment in premium personal care, global innovation capabilities, and acquisitions.
Unilever has received a binding offer from Dutch personal care manufacturer Royal Sanders for baby care brand Zwitsal. The move is part of the consumer goods giant’s strategy of concentrating its portfolio on its largest international brands and priority categories.
According to the NL Times, the deal involves carving out Zwitsal’s business which operates in the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, and the Dutch Caribbean from Unilever’s wider organization. Zwitsal’s portfolio is centred around baby and family care products.
Royal Sanders specializes in personal care manufacturing, private-label production, and branded products. Its portfolio includes Odorex, Melkmeisje, Sanicur, Van Gils, Fresh Up, and ProSet.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, and financial terms were not disclosed. Global law firm Baker McKenzie advised Unilever on the transaction.
The strategy behind the sale
Zwitsal is touted as one of the Netherlands’ most recognizable baby care brands, but its strength is concentrated primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium. The brand’s regional profile appears to be incompatible with Unilever’s push toward global brands that can support multi-market innovation and international expansion.
Griet Demasure, general manager of Personal Care Benelux at Unilever echoes the sentiment that Unilever is increasingly directing resources and investment toward its largest global brands and priority categories. At the same time, he says that Royal Sanders can provide Zwitsal with the attention it needs to continue its heritage and pursue further growth opportunities.
Following its 2025 results, Unilever said it would focus more heavily on Beauty & Wellbeing and Personal Care while prioritizing premium segments, digital commerce, and growth in the US and India. These divisions led Unilever’s annual performance, posting underlying sales growth of 4.3% and 4.7%, respectively.
Fewer brands and deeper investments
Zwitsal’s sale suggests that Unilever is narrowing its focus, even within key categories such as baby care.
According to Unilever’s 2025 annual report, its Power Brands accounted for 78% of the group’s total turnover in 2025. Within Personal Care, brands including Dove, Rexona, Axe, Lifebuoy, Lux, Pepsodent, and Closeup represented 90% of turnover in the same year.
Unilever has also reduced its Personal Care SKU count by more than 20% since 2022, creating a portfolio it describes as simpler, more global, and increasingly centered on Power Brands.
Unilever is selling Zwitsal as it concentrates investment behind larger personal care brands with broader international reach.The sale aligns with Unilever’s strategy of concentrating investment behind global Power Brands. Although Zwitsal has strong consumer recognition in the Netherlands and Belgium, its largely regional footprint offers less potential for international scale.
The move also follows Unilever’s broader effort to become a “simpler, sharper” company. It is combining its Foods business with McCormick to focus the remaining company on Beauty, Wellbeing, Personal Care, and Home Care.
As previously reported by Personal Care Insights, the company expects Beauty, Wellbeing, and Personal Care to contribute 67% of group turnover after the Foods separation, compared with 51% in fiscal 2025.
Scaling premium Personal Care
While exiting Zwitsal, Unilever is increasing spending on personal care brands and capabilities with stronger international potential.
Its Power Brands generated 5% underlying sales growth during Q1 of 2026, compared with 3.8% across the company. Dove and Vaseline delivered double-digit volume-led growth, supporting Unilever’s focus on premium innovation and brand desirability.
Unilever has also expanded its portfolio through the acquisitions of refillable deodorant brand Wild and men’s personal care company Dr. Squatch. Both businesses bring premium positioning, digitally led marketing, and potential for international expansion.
Against that backdrop, the move to sell Zwitsal is positioned as portfolio concentration rather than a withdrawal from baby or personal care. Unilever is favoring brands capable of supporting premiumization, multi-market launches, and global investment, while Royal Sanders gains an established regional name closely aligned with its specialization in personal care.
