Chronology of Key Events
1888
Sunlight soap introduced in India.
1895
Lifebuoy soap launched; Lever Brothers appoints agents in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Karachi.
1902
Pears soap introduced in India.
1903
Brooke Bond Red Label tea launched.
1905
Lux flakes introduced.
1913
Vim scouring powder introduced.
1914
Vinolia soap launched in India.
1918
Vanaspati introduced by Dutch margarine manufacturers like Van den Berghs, Jurgens, Verschure Creameries, and Hartogs.
1922
Rinso soap powder introduced.
1924
Gibbs dental preparations launched.
1925
Lever Brothers gets full control of North West Soap Company.
1926
Hartogs registers Dalda Trademark.
1930
Unilever is formed on January 1 through merger of Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie.
1931
Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Company registered on November 27; Sewri factory site bought.
1932
Vanaspati manufacture starts at Sewri.
1933
Application made for setting up soap factory next to the Vanaspati factory at Sewri; Lever Brothers India Limited incorporated on October 17.
1934
Soap manufacture begins at Sewri factory in October; North West Soap Company's Garden Reach Factory, Kolkata rented and expanded to produce Lever brands.
1935
United Traders incorporated on May 11 to market Personal Products.
1937
Mr. Prakash Tandon, one of the first Indian covenanted managers, joins HVM.
1939
Garden Reach Factory purchased outright; concentration on building up Dalda Vanaspati as a brand.
1941
Agencies in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Karachi taken over; company acquires own sales force.
1942
Unilever takes firm decision to "train Indians to take over junior and senior management positions instead of Europeans".
1943
Personal Products manufacture begins in India at Garden Reach Factory.
1944
Reorganisation of the three companies with common management but separate marketing operations.
1947
Pond's Cold Cream launched.
1951
Mr. Prakash Tandon becomes first Indian Director. Shamnagar, Tiruchy, and Ghaziabad Vanaspati factories bought.
1955
65% of managers are Indians.
1956
Three companies merge to form Hindustan Unilever Limited, with 10% Indian equity participation.
1957
Unilever Special Committee approves research activity by Hindustan Unilever.
1958
Research Unit starts functioning at Mumbai Factory.
1959
Surf launched.
1961
Mr. Prakash Tandon takes over as the first Indian Chairman; 191 of the 205 managers are Indians.
1962
Formal Exports Department starts.
1963
Head Office building at Backbay Reclamation, Mumbai, opened.
1964
Etah dairy set up, Anik ghee launched; Animal feeds plant at Ghaziabad; Sunsilk shampoo launched.
1965
Signal toothpaste launched; Indian shareholding increases to 14%.
1966
Lever's baby food, more new foods introduced; Nickel catalyst production begins; Indian shareholding increases to 15%. Statutory price control on Vanaspati; Taj Mahal tea launched.
1967
Hindustan Unilever Research Centre, opens in Mumbai.
1968
Mr. V. G. Rajadhyaksha takes over as Chairman from Mr. Prakash Tandon; Fine Chemicals Unit commissioned at Andheri; informal price control on soap begins.
1969
Rin bar launched; Fine Chemicals Unit starts production; Bru coffee launched.
1971
Mr. V. G. Rajadhyaksha presents plan for diversification into chemicals to Unilever Special Committee - plan approved; Clinic shampoo launched.
1973
Mr. T. Thomas takes over as Chairman from Mr. V. G. Rajadhyaksha.
1974
Pilot plant for industrial chemicals at Taloja; informal price control on soaps withdrawn; Liril marketed.
1975
Ten-year modernisation plan for soaps and detergent plants; Jammu project work begins; statutory price control on Vanaspati and baby foods withdrawn; Close-up toothpaste launched.
1976
Construction work of Haldia chemicals complex begins; Taloja chemicals unit begins functioning.
1977
Jammu synthetic Detergents plant inaugurated; Indian shareholding increases to 18.57%.
1978
Indian shareholding increases to 34%; Fair & Lovely skin cream launched.
1979
Sodium Tripolyphospate plant at Haldia commissioned.
1980
Dr. A. S. Ganguly takes over as Chairman from Mr. T. Thomas; Unilever shareholding in the company comes down to 51%.
1982
Government allows 51% Unilever shareholding.
1984
Foods, Animal Feeds businesses transferred to Lipton.
1986
Agri-products unit at Hyderabad starts functioning - first range of hybrid seeds comes out; Khamgaon Soaps unit and Yavatmal Personal Products unit start production.
1988
Launch of Lipton Taaza tea.
1990
Mr. S. M. Datta takes over as Chairman from Dr. A. S. Ganguly.
1991
Surf Ultra detergent launched.
1992
HUL recognised by Government of India as Star Trading House in Exports.
1993
The erstwhile Brooke Bond India acquires the Kissan brand from the United Breweries Group, giving HUL an entry into the foods business.
1994
HUL's largest competitor, Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO), merges with the company, the biggest such in Indian industry till that time.
HUL forms Unilever Nepal Limited, HUL and US-based Kimberley-Clark Corporation form 50:50 joint venture - Kimberley-Clark Lever Ltd. - to market Huggies diapers and Kotex feminine care products. Factory set up at Pune in 1995; HUL acquires Kwality and Milkfood 100% brandnames and distribution assets. HUL introduces Wall's.
1995
HUL enters branded staples business with salt; HUL recognised as Super Star Trading House.
1996
HUL and Indian cosmetics major, Lakme Ltd., form 50:50 joint venture - Lakme Lever Ltd.; HUL enters branded staples business with salt; HUL recognised as Super Star Trading House.
1997
Unilever sets up International Research Laboratory in Bangalore; new Regional Innovation Centres also come up.
1998
Group company, Pond's India Ltd., merges with HUL with effect from January 1, 1998. HUL acquires Lakme brand, factories and Lakme Ltd.'s 50% equity in Lakme Lever Ltd.
2000
Mr. M. S. Banga takes over as Chairman from Mr. K. B. Dadiseth, who joins the Unilever Board; HUL acquires 74% stake in Modern Food Industries Ltd., the first public sector company to be disinvested by the Government of India.
2002
HUL enters Ayurvedic health & beauty centre category with the Ayush range and Ayush Therapy Centres.
2003
Launch of Hindustan Lever Network; acquisition of the Amalgam Group.
2004
Pureit test marketing in Chennai.
2005
Harish Manwani takes over as Chairman from Mr. M. S. Banga on July 1, 2005.
2006
Brookefields food operations moved to Mumbai.
2007
Company name formally changed to Hindustan Unilever Limited after receiving the approval of shareholders during the 74th AGM on 18 May 2007.
Sales of Brooke Bond and Surf Excel each cross the Rs 1,000 crore mark.
2008
HUL completes 75 years on 17th October 2008.
Pureit launched across India.
2010
HUL moves to its new headquarters ‘Unilever House’ in Andheri, Mumbai.
Pureit international launch.
Unilever Sustainable Living Plan launched in India.
Hindustan Unilever Foundation (HUF) was set-up. HUF supports national priorities for socio-economic development.
2013
HUL completes 80 years on October 17 2013.
HUL launches ‘Prabhat’ (Dawn) - a Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) linked program to engage with and contribute to the development of local communities around our manufacturing sites.
Unilever’s first aerosol plant in Asia inaugurated in Khamgaon.
In October 2013, Sanjiv Mehta took over as the CEO and Managing Director of HUL.
2014
The ‘Winning in Many Indias’ operating framework, piloted in 2013, launched nationally. Sales offices expanded from four to seven with launch of offices in Lucknow, Indore and Bangalore in addition to the existing sales offices in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.
2015
HUL signed an agreement with Mosons Group for acquisition of its flagship brand ‘Indulekha’
HUL announced signing of an agreement for the sale and transfer of its bread and bakery business under the brand “Modern” to Nimman Foods Private Limited.
2016
Sales of six HUL brands namely Surf excel, Brooke Bond, Wheel, Lifebuoy, Rin and Fair & Lovely cross the rupee 2000 crore mark.
Surf excel crosses the 3000 crore mark.
2017
A new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was commissioned in Doom Dooma Industrial Estate, Assam on 11th March 2017.
2018
HUL signs an agreement with Vijaykant Dairy and Food Products Limited (VDFPL) and its group company to acquire its ice cream and frozen desserts business consisting of its flagship brand ‘Adityaa Milk’ and front end distribution network across geographies.
2020
HUL announced acquisition of VWash, the market leader in female intimate hygiene category to enter the currently underpenetrated and rapidly growing market segment.
Merger of GSK Consumer Healthcare with Hindustan Unilever Limited. Iconic health food drink brands – Horlicks and Boost enter the foods & refreshment portfolio of HUL, making it the largest F&R business in India.
2022
HUL's turnover crossed the INR 50,000 Crore mark for FY 2021 - 2022
In July 2022, Unilever India Limited's new Home Care factory and an automated distribution centre were inaugurated in Sumerpur, Uttar Pradesh. The factory is a zero-carbon factory and Unilever South Asia's first gender-balanced factory.
2023
In March 2023, Rohit Jawa appointed as the CEO and Managing Director of HUL with effect from June 27, 2023.
Brand disclaimer:
*References to Fair & Lovely in this article pre-dates the brand’s name change to Glow & Lovely in 2020.
Foundation disclaimer:
* References to the Fair & Lovely Foundation in this article pre-dates the brand’s name change to Glow & Lovely in 2020. The Foundation’s new name is ‘Glow & Lovely Careers’.