Hindustan Unilever to focus on regaining market share: Global CEO Fernando Fernandez

Mumbai: Unilever global CEO Fernando Fernandez said the biggest priority for India chief Priya Nair is to ensure the company's portfolio is future fit as the consumer goods maker aims to reclaim market share lost to rivals including online brands in this growing market in the past few years. The focus now is on regaining lost ground, Fernandez said in a Barclays fireside chat on Wednesday. India, which contributes about 16-17% of Unilever's global business, is a long-term competitive advantage, he said, adding that he is "very, very bullish" on the country.

"The fundamental challenge of Priya is ensuring that our portfolio is future fit and ensuring that the execution is flawless as it has been in the past," he said. "I believe that we lost a bit our way for a couple of years. I feel we are improving now. I am very, very bullish about India and the contribution it will make to Unilever's growth algorithm," he said.

The local unit Hindustan Unilever (HUL), India's largest consumer goods maker, currently holds dominant positions across categories, with about 55% share in hair care, 45% in laundry and about 80% in dishwashing and nutrition. In many segments, it is three to five times the size of its nearest competitor thanks to a vast distribution network, cost-efficient manufacturing base, and deep access to talent.

Fernandez said India's scale and structural advantages make it central to Unilever's global strategy at a time when MNCs are increasingly turning to faster-growing markets amid a slowdown in China. "When China slowed down, where companies were going to go, they were going to go to the US, and they were going to discover India," he said.


Unilever is doubling down on its marketing model, including a push to deepen digital engagement and influencer-led outreach across India. Fernandez had outlined plans to expand such efforts aggressively, signalling a shift toward more localised and tech-enabled consumer connections in markets like India.

Over the past years HUL has seen sales growth slow as inflation pressures, weak demand and niche online brands eroded its dominance in personal care and household segments. HUL has been bullish on direct-to-consumer (D2C) acquisitions, completing full ownership of wellness brand Oziva this February, and acquiring a majority stake in skincare brand Minimalist. It also recently divested its minority stake in nutraceutical brand Wellbeing Nutrition, citing portfolio clean-up.

Last week, Unilever announced the merger of food business with McCormick and Company to create a $20 billion revenue powerhouse combining brands such as Knorr and Hellmann's with McCormick's portfolio including French's, Cholula and Frank's RedHot.