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Unilever to acquire Betty Ice

Unilever has today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the business of Betty Ice SRL, the Romanian ice-cream producer. The value of the transaction is undisclosed.


London/Rotterdam – WEBWIRE

Betty Ice was founded in 1994 by Romanian entrepreneur Vasile Armenean with the vision of transforming the perfect dessert into a reality, creating natural tastes and flavours with carefully selected ingredients. Betty Ice is the main local ice cream producer in Romania, with a total turnover of €30 million. The company owns one factory in Suceava and has more than 180 ice cream kiosks open during summer time. Betty Ice employs 760 employees in Romania.

Unilever’s South Central Europe Ice Cream division and Betty Ice will operate as a standalone unit within Unilever and will be led by Mr. Vasile Armenean, who will act as a General Manager. This partnership aims to further expand the brand by combining the strengths of the Unilever group with the local ice-cream market expertise and knowhow of Mr. Armenean.

James Simmons, Managing Director Unilever South Central Europe, said: “We are delighted that Betty Ice will join the Unilever family. Betty Ice is a wonderful business, much loved by Romanians. I am also very pleased that Vasile Armenean has decided to join our company. He is an outstanding entrepreneur and he will play an instrumental role in creating a bright future for this new business.”

Vasile Armenean, Betty Ice General Manager, added: “In 23 years we have grown a great business in Romania, and we are proud that Betty Ice, the number 1 Romanian ice cream brand, will join the portfolio of the number 1 ice cream producer in the world. Our legacy and Unilever’s vision are a perfect match for the future of Betty Ice brand.”

The agreement is subject to regulatory approval by the Romanian competition authorities.

ENDS

About Betty Ice

Betty Ice company was founded in 1994 by Vasile Armenean and became the most important Romanian ice cream producer on the Romanian market. The company, located in Suceava, owns a top factory, 4 gelato stores in 4 cities and over 180 kiosks open during the summer season. There are 3 categories of ice cream products: standards, premium, super-premium, sold under approximately 60 assortments. For more information, please visit www.bettyice.ro.

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SAFE HARBOUR

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, including ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as ‘will’, ‘aim’, ‘expects’, ‘anticipates’, ‘intends’, ‘looks’, ‘believes’, ‘vision’, or the negative of these terms and other similar expressions of future performance or results, and their negatives, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions regarding anticipated developments and other factors affecting the Unilever Group (the “Group”). They are not historical facts, nor are they guarantees of future performance.

Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Among other risks and uncertainties, the material or principal factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are: Unilever’s global brands not meeting consumer preferences; Unilever’s ability to innovate and remain competitive; Unilever’s investment choices in its portfolio management; inability to find sustainable solutions to support long-term growth; customer relationships; the recruitment and retention of talented employees; disruptions in our supply chain; the cost of raw materials and commodities; the production of safe and high quality products; secure and reliable IT infrastructure; successful execution of acquisitions, divestitures and business transformation projects; economic and political risks and natural disasters; the effect of climate change on Unilever’s business; financial risks; failure to meet high and ethical standards; and managing regulatory, tax and legal matters. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Group’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting the Group are described in the Group’s filings with the London Stock Exchange, Euronext Amsterdam and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the Annual Report on Form 20-F 2016 and the Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2016.


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