Hindustan Unilever Ltd
NSE: HINDUNILVR BSE: 500696
₹1897.10
+1.60 (0.08%)
Fri, 23 Oct 2026, 07:55 am
Market Cap (in Cr)445717.47
PE Ratio29.81
Dividend2.16
Consumer Non-Durables
Household/Personal Care
24.5KHindustan Unilever Ltd Company History
1888
- Sunlight soap introduced in India.
1895
- Lifebuoy soap launched.
- Lever Brothers appoints agents in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, 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 manufacturers.
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 formed by merger of Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie.
1931
- Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Company registered; Sewri factory site bought.
1932
- Vanaspati manufacture starts at Sewri.
1933
- Lever Brothers India Limited (LBIL) incorporated to manufacture soaps.
1934
- Soap manufacture begins at Sewri.
- Garden Reach Factory rented and expanded.
1935
- United Traders Pvt. Ltd. incorporated for marketing.
1937
- Prakash Tandon joins as one of first Indian managers.
1939
- Garden Reach Factory purchased outright.
- Focus on building Dalda Vanaspati brand.
1941
- Agencies in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Karachi taken over; own sales force acquired.
1942
- Unilever decides to train Indians for management positions.
1943
- Personal Products manufacture begins at Garden Reach Factory.
1944
- Reorganisation of three companies with common management.
1947
- Pond's Cold Cream launched.
1951
- Prakash Tandon becomes first Indian Director.
- Shamnagar, Tiruchy, and Ghaziabad Vanaspati factories bought.
1955
- 65% of managers are Indians.
1956
- Converted to public limited company.
- Amalgamated with Hindustan Vanaspati Mfg. Co. and others, renamed Hindustan Lever Ltd.
- Unilever offers 557,000 equity shares to public.
1957
- Unilever approves research activity for Hindustan Unilever.
1958
- Research Unit starts at Mumbai Factory.
1959
- Surf launched.
1961
- Prakash Tandon becomes first Indian Chairman.
1962
- Formal Exports Department starts.
1963
- Head Office 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 and new foods introduced.
- Nickel catalyst production begins.
- Taj Mahal tea launched.
1967
- Hindustan Unilever Research Centre opens in Mumbai.
1968
- V. G. Rajadhyaksha takes over as Chairman.
- Fine Chemicals Unit commissioned at Andheri.
1969
- Rin bar launched.
- Bru coffee launched.
1971
- Diversification into chemicals plan approved.
- Clinic shampoo launched.
1973
- T. Thomas takes over as Chairman.
1974
- Pilot plant for industrial chemicals at Taloja.
- Liril marketed.
1975
- Ten-year modernisation plan for soaps and detergents.
- Close-up toothpaste launched.
1976
- Haldia chemicals complex construction begins.
- Taloja chemicals unit begins functioning.
1977
- Synthetic detergents plant in Jammu commissioned.
1978
- Indian shareholding increases to 34%.
- Fair & Lovely skin cream launched.
1979
- Haldia industrial undertaking for sodium tri-polyphosphate, phosphoric acid, and sulphuric acid set up.
1980
- Unilever sells shares to reduce non-resident holding to 51%.
1982
- Government allows 51% Unilever shareholding.
1983
- Synthetic detergents plant in Chindwara commissioned.
- Detergent and toilet soap factory leased from Stephans Chemicals.
- New fine chemical unit commissioned.
1984
- Foods and Animal Feeds businesses transferred to Lipton.
1985
- Diammonium phosphate manufacturing project commissioned.
1986
- Lux toilet soap launched.
- Agri-products unit at Hyderabad starts; Khamgaon Soaps and Yavatmal Personal Products units start production.
1987
- Lifebuoy Personal and Breez soaps launched.
1988
- HUL sets up biopolymers facility at Pondicherry with National Starch.
- HUL leases detergents undertakings of Union Home Products.
1989
- Synthetic Detergent plant at Sumerpur and Toilet soap plant at Orai commissioned.
- Cracking catalyst plant at Haldia commissioned.
- Vegetable oil plant at Kandla commissioned.
1991
- HUL commissions Seed and Tissue culture projects at Hyderabad.
- HUL commissions toilet preparations plant at Pondicherry.
1992
- HUL enters dental market with Pepsodent and Mentadent G.
- HUL sets up leather garments factory in Chennai.
- HUL sets up aquaculture centre at Tanjavur.
1993
- Tata Oil Mills Co. (TOMCO) merges with HUL.
1994
- HUL forms 50:50 JV Kimberley-Clark Lever Ltd. with Kimberley-Clark.
1995
- HUL forms Lakme Lever Ltd. JV with Lakme.
- HUL acquires Kwality and Milkfood brandnames and distribution assets.
- HUL forms Lever Johnson JV with S.C. Johnson.
- HLL Soaps and Detergent sales cross one million tonnes.
1996
- Brooke Bond India amalgamated with HUL.
- HUL forms Lever Johnson Consumer Products Pvt. Ltd. JV with S C Johnson.
1997
- HUL receives Solvent Extractors' Association Award for highest exporter of Rice Bran Extractions.
1998
- Pond's India merges with HUL.
- HUL acquires Lakme brand, factories, and 50% equity in Lakme Lever Ltd.
- HUL acquires manufacturing rights of Kwality icecream.
1999
- HUL merges Industrial Perfumes Ltd.
- HUL sells dairy business to Nutricia.
2000
- HUL acquires Modern Foods.
2001
- HUL transfers seeds business to Paras Extra Growth Seeds Ltd.
- International Bestfoods becomes HUL subsidiary.
- HUL sells Nickel Catalyst and Adhesives businesses to ICI India.
2002
- Project Shakti launched, bringing 20% rise in rural consumption.
- HUL enters ayurvedic healthcare with Lever Ayush products.
- HUL acquires remaining 26% stake in Modern Foods for Rs 44.07 crore.
- HUL forays into snack foods under Knorr Annapurna brand.
2003
- HUL ties up with Pepsi for distribution.
- HUL acquires Amalgam Group's seafoods business.
- HUL sells Glucovita to Wipro.
- Unilever hands global marketing of Pears to HUL.
2004
- HUL re-launches Rin Shakti Powder and Bar.
- HUL launches Pureit water purifier.
- HUL launches 'Perfect Radiance' skincare under Fair & Lovely.
- HUL launches Domex Thick disinfectant cleaner.
- HUL launches two imported products under Lakme brand.
- HUL enters kids' personal care market.
- HUL sells Kissan factory in Bangalore for Rs 60 crore.
- HUL inks pact with Pepsi in beverage segment.
2005
- HUL sets up HPC factory in Himachal with Rs 110 crore investment.
- HUL introduces iced tea in glass bottles.
- Unilever Overseas Holdings divests shares in Rossell Industries.
2006
- Brookefields food operations moved to Mumbai.
2007
- Company name changed from Hindustan Lever Ltd to Hindustan Unilever Ltd.
2008
- Sanjiv Kakkar appointed Chairman, Unilever Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
- HUL completes 75 years on 17th October.
2009
- R Sridhar appointed Chief Financial Officer.
- HUL licenses 'Lakme' and 'Lever Ayush' brands to Lakme Lever Private Limited.
2010
- HUL exits Capgemini Business Services by selling 49% stake.
- Dev Bajpai appointed Executive Director, Legal and Company Secretary.
- HUL introduces 'Must Win 2010' distribution initiative.
- Manvinder Singh Banga leaves Unilever after 33 years.
- HUL launches Pureit Compact water purifier at Rs 1,000.
- HUL divests part of stake in Hindustan Field Services.
2011
- HUL changes corporate office details.
- HUL launches 'Bru World Café'.
- HUL re-launches Lifebuoy talcum powder.
- HUL starts campaign to save water.
- HUL taps banks and telecom firms for rural penetration.
- HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh resigns from HUL board.
2012
- HUL enters agreement with Unilever to market Brylcreem in India.
- HUL signs agreement with Piramal Realty for assignment of Gulita leasehold rights for Rs 452.5 crore.
- HUL shifts registered office to Unilever House, Andheri East, Mumbai.
2013
- Unilever announces €50 million investment for Khamgaon plant.
- HUL launches Domex Toilet Academy.
- Unilever launches Project Sunlight.
2014
- Unilever partners with Internet.org to increase internet access in rural India.
- HUL launches Prabhat initiative for community development around factories.
- Unilever helps families live more sustainably at home.
- HUL partners with MTV to endorse brands.
2015
- HUL launches The Unilever Foundry.
- HUL signs agreement with Mosons Group for acquisition of 'Indulekha' brand.
- HUL recognized as most innovative marketer on mobile at MMA.
- HUL revives Ayush with e-launch.
- HUL awarded 'Client of the Year'.
- HUL wins five awards at awards.
- HUL launches 'Swachh Aadat, Swachh Bharat' programme.
2016
- HUL signs agreement with LT Foods for sale of rice business.
- Khamgaon factory awarded CII Sustainability Award.
- HUL retains 'Client of the Year' at Effies.
- HUL recognized among Top 10 Best Companies for Women.
- HUL recognised at Cold Chain Industry Awards.
- HUL digital campaigns win at CMO Asia Awards.
2017
- New unit in Assam starts commercial production.
- HUL develops technology to reduce plastic sachet waste.
- HUL receives national certificate of recognition from ICSI.
- Puducherry factory ranks second at CII-SR EHS Excellence Awards.
- Project Prabhat wins at Social Change Awards.
- HUL wins National Award for excellence in Employee Relations.
- HUL wins CII National Food Safety Award.
- Haridwar factory wins bronze at WCM Awards.
- HUL launches 'A Playing Billion' campaign.
- HUL awarded for Excellence in Water Management.
- HUL wins at Marquee Awards.
- HUL emerges as No. 1 Employer of Choice.
2018
- HUL briefly surpasses ITC in market valuation to become fourth most valued firm.
- HUL enters top-five most valued companies with m-cap over Rs 3 lakh crore.
- HUL integrates food and refreshment categories in South Asia.
2019
- HUL announces commitments to reduce plastic waste, eliminating over 100,000 tonnes by 2025.
2020
- OYO and Unilever partner to enhance business.
- HUL collaborates with UNICEF for COVID-19 mass communication campaign.
- HUL acquires VWash, market leader in female intimate hygiene.
- GSK Consumer Healthcare merges with HUL, adding Horlicks and Boost brands.
- Unilever Mouthwash proven to reduce SARS-CoV-2 viral load by 99.9%.
2021
- HUL's Sanjiv Mehta received Pralhad P Chhabria Memorial Global Award for Outstanding Contribution to FMCG Industry.
- HUL and Google, with MyGov India, announce AI for agriculture Hackathon.
2022
- HUL's Dapada factory joins WEF's Lighthouse Network.
- NIESBUD partners HUL to develop skills and create livelihood opportunities.
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister inaugurated Unilever India Limited’s new factory in Sumerpur.
2023
- Company signed agreement with Uma Global Foods and Uma Consumer Products for sale of atta and salt business for Rs 60.4 crore.
- HUL received Best Company award in ESG practices in Consumer Products sector at KPMG India ESG Excellence Awards.
- HUL and HSBC launched Suvidha Centre in Dharavi.
- HUL and Genpact launched Be.Seen to scale minority-owned businesses in India.
2024
- HUL wins CII Grand Jury Award for Industry-Academia partnership.
- HUL and MoHUA forge partnership to launch Hygiene & Sanitation Center of Excellence.
- HUL launches second edition of 'Women in STEM' fellowship.
- HUL introduces Foster and Kinship Caregiver Leave Policy.
