Unilever

Unilever generated €60.8 billion revenue in 2024 ($65.7B USD), up 1.9% with 4.2% underlying sales growth driven by 2.9% volume increases across Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods divisions. The company delivered four consecutive quarters above 2% volume growth after years of price-driven revenue expansion, suggesting consumer acceptance of post-inflation pricing. CEO Hein Schumacher's Growth Action Plan concentrates investment on 30 "Power Brands" including Dove, Comfort, Vaseline, and Liquid I.V. that represent 75% of revenue, allocating resources to proven growth vectors while harvesting or divesting underperformers.

Like a gardener pruning weak branches to strengthen trunk vitality, Unilever separated its €8.3 billion Ice Cream business for demerger completion by end of 2025, listing separately in Amsterdam, London, and New York. The carve-out removes capital-intensive frozen distribution requirements and seasonal revenue volatility, allowing remaining portfolio to optimize for ambient product logistics. Ice Cream grew 3.7% with 1.6% volume in 2024, respectable but dilutive to higher-margin Personal Care growing 5.2% with 3.1% volume.

The Power Brands strategy represents resource partitioning at portfolio level: instead of distributing marketing spend across 400+ brands, Unilever concentrates behind proven winners that generate category leadership and pricing power. Gross margin expanded 280 basis points in 2024, funding increased brand investment while improving profitability. The company acquired K18 premium biotech hair care in February 2024, allocating capital to fast-growing premium segments. Unilever's 2025 outlook anticipates 3-5% growth with slower H1 followed by acceleration, testing whether focused brand portfolio outcompetes diversified conglomerate structures in consumer packaged goods.