Unilever Acquires Mexican Ice Cream Business

Unilever Mexico has acquired the outstanding shares in Helados Holanda SA, a Mexican ice cream business.

Unilever Mexico originally held 50.1 percent of Helados Holanda in a joint venture agreement, signed in January 1997, with Grupo Quan and Grupo Industrial Bimbo. Holanda is the market leader in Mexico and has sales of US$64million.

At the same time Unilever Mexico will integrate most of the activities of Friser SA, its current distributor, into the Mexican ice cream business. Friser SA was part of a joint venture between between Grupo Quan, Grupo Industrial Bimbo and Unilever, where Unilever held a minority interest. The Friser cold distribution network will be integrated with the Holanda business.

Unilever Mexico has introduced into Mexico its international ice cream brands, such as Magnum, Cornetto, Viennetta and Calippo.

Unilever is one of the world's largest consumer product companies, operating in 90 countries around the globe and employing almost 300,000 people.

Edited by Pam Ahlberg