Unilever acquires Schmidt’s Naturals, eyes natural-conscious shoppers

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Dec 15, 2017

The future is “green” and Unilever is jumping on the eco-train to expand its Personal Care business. The Anglo-Dutch food and consumer goods company announced on Thursday an agreement to acquire Schmidt’s Naturals, a personal care company based in Portland, Oregon.

Best known for its natural deodorants, Schmidt’s was founded in 2010 by Jaime Schmidt and has most recently extended its offering to bar soap and toothpaste. The brand's award-winning deodorant formulas are derived from plants and minerals. Its most popular scents include Charcoal + Magnesium, Rose + Vanilla, and Lavender + Sage.
 
“Schmidt’s Naturals is a strong, innovative brand in the fast-growing natural category, and nicely complements our existing portfolio of US deodorants which includes leading brands Degree, Axe and Dove,” explained Kees Kruythoff, President, Unilever North America, in a news statement.

“The brand’s focus on transparency and mission to make natural products accessible to everyone aligns closely with Unilever values and represents an exciting category expansion for our family of brands.”
 
Unilever Personal Care President, Alan Jope, expects the acquisitions to help Unilever to reach new consumers who prefer natural options.
 
For Schmidt’s, the deal will also help it expand its reach and develop new natural products. The co-founders, Jaime Schmidt and Michael Cammarata, will continue to be involved with the brand.
 
“I am proud to say that as a result of our partnership with Unilever, we are better positioned than ever in our mission to make natural products accessible to all,” said Jaime Schmidt.
 
The acquisition follows Unilever’s plans to launch an eco-friendly beauty brand, named Love Beauty and Planet, which was announced earlier this week. Love Beauty and Planet will consist of a total of 18 hair care products and 8 body products, and will be available at US drugstores as of January 2018.
 
Last month, Unilever’s competitor Procter & Gamble’s announced the purchase of Native, another natural deodorant company, showcasing the strong move towards eco-friendly and natural personal care products.
 
Unilever has acquired a number of brands since the beginning of the year, including Korean beauty brand Carver and New York-based Sundial Brands, further growing its beauty offerings.
 
Terms of the Unilever and Schmidt’s transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close no later than the first quarter 2018.