Graze acquired by Katjes International

Unilever fully divests its healthy snacking subsidiary by selling 100% of the shares in Graze to Katjes International. Structured as a complete corporate carve-out from the selling consumer goods giant, this definitive agreement transfers the entire brand portfolio, intellectual property, and associated manufacturing assets to the buyer's Future Snacks Ltd. subsidiary. Historically acquired by Unilever in 2019, Graze is now being spun off as part of a broader corporate overhaul spearheaded by Unilever Chief Executive Officer Fernando Fernandez. This strategic portfolio pruning allows the multinational seller to redirect internal capital and operational resources exclusively toward its core Condiments, Cooking Aids, and Food Solutions categories. For Katjes International, the execution of this cross-border acquisition secures annual sales of while fundamentally diversifying its historical confectionery offerings into the healthier snacking segment. The financial architecture of the buyout relies on a combination of existing cash reserves and a newly secured acquisition loan to fund the transaction. By integrating the acquired operations directly into the Candy Kittens Group infrastructure, the German acquirer expects to unlock immediate commercial synergies, capitalizing on a highly overlapping customer base and shared distribution channels across the United Kingdom. The commercial rationale addresses recent profit margin compressions in the snack bar market, driven by escalating raw material costs for cocoa, wheat, and nuts, by leveraging Katjes International's specialized agility as a smaller, hands-on operator compared to the exiting conglomerate. According to retail analysts, the transition away from a pure direct-to-consumer model toward physical supermarket retail requires the focused operational execution that the acquiring group provides. Supported by UKI Foods General Manager Georgina Bradford representing the seller, the definitive share transfer remains strictly subject to a mandatory statutory employee consultation process within the United Kingdom alongside customary regulatory closing conditions. The final integration is officially scheduled for completion during the first half of 2026.