Unilever puts British mustard brand Colman’s up for sale

Unilever is in search of a buyer for Colman’s, one of the United Kingdom’s best-known mustard brands. In doing so, the company aims to preempt potential objections from competition authorities regarding its merger plans with the American company McCormick.

Preempting regulatory concerns

The deal between Unilever and McCormick is the direct catalyst: Unilever will soon merge its food operations—including brands such as Knorr and Hellmann’s—into a joint venture with the American producer of sauces and seasonings. However, McCormick already owns French’s, a globally recognized mustard brand. By also bringing Colman’s into the same group, Unilever believes the new combination could potentially face objections from regulators.