Unilever confirmed today that it has agreed to acquire Wild, a producer of refillable personal care products.
The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed, but rumours about the deal back in February suggested a figure of around £230m.
Launched in the UK in 2020, Wild now operates through a direct-to-consumer and retail model, offering deodorants, lip balms, bodywashes and handwashes made with plant-based ingredients and packaged in plastic-free materials. Latest accounts show that the company’s sales jumped 77% to £47m during the year to 31 December 2023, with an operating profit of £560,000.
Unilever noted that the transaction was part of its Growth Action Plan, which involves shifting its portfolio towards high-growth markets while selling off non-core, slower-performing brands.
The company stated that Wild’s rapid growth, distinctive premium offering across personal care categories, and position as the UK’s leading refillable deodorant brand made it a strategic addition to its existing portfolio of personal care brands.
“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,” said Fabian Garcia, President of Unilever Personal Care.
Wild Co-Founder Charlie Bowes-Lyon added: “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.”
