Unilever sells Peperami to US rival in meat snacks deal

Unilever has agreed to sell off its Peperami brand to US rival Jack Link’s as part of an offload of its meat snacks division.

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Peperami could be given a brand overhaul after being sold off by Unilever.

The sale is for an “undisclosed amount” and brings an end to a period of speculation about the unit dating back to last summer. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and will see beef jerky maker Jack Link’s take full control of the unit including marketing responsibilities.

Jan Zijderveld, president of Unilver’s European business, says: “BIlfi [which is sold Germany, Benelux, Austria and Switzerland]and Peperami are two iconic local brands. As we continue to sharpen our portfolio to deliver sustainable growth for Unilever, we believe that the potential of these two brands can now be more fully realised with Jack Link’s.”

Unilever has been trying to reduce the size of its global portfolio since 2011 and has sold off both its global Skippy peanut brand and North American frozen meals business during this time. The company posted just a 1 per cent jump in food sales for the three months to December compared to a 6.5 per cent rise in sales of its home cares brands.

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