Unilever announces €35 million investment for R&D expansion in India’s Mumbai and Bengaluru hubs

Consumer goods maker Unilever said it plans to invest an additional €35 million (Rs 373 crore) in its research and development operations in India, expanding its Mumbai and Bengaluru hubs as it looks to strengthen product innovation, artificial intelligence-led research and biotechnology capabilities.

The investment follows investments worth €20 million (Rs 213 crore) committed towards the country over the past five years. This was directed towards developing facilities including a fragrance research centre, a liquids laboratory, an advanced manufacturing centre for bars and packaging design capabilities, the company said in a release.

India is Unilever's second largest market after the US and one of its largest R&D hubs, employing more than 800 scientists, researchers, digital specialists and designers.


The company plans to develop its Mumbai facility into a product innovation centre, focused on consumer insights, product and packaging design, AI-led research, faster prototyping and scale-up capabilities. Its Bengaluru centre will continue to focus on science and technology research, digital capabilities and partnerships with academic institutions and startups, it added.

“India is a critical global R&D centre for Unilever. This investment will enable a more connected way of innovating, bringing together science, insights, design, digital technology, AI, rapid prototyping and scale-up capabilities,” said Richard Slater, chief research and development officer at Unilever.

Unilever will also invest €5 million (Rs 53 crore) over five years in a Bio-Futures partnership in India, connecting its global R&D network with domestic scientific institutions, startups and biotechnology infrastructure. The initiative will focus on human biology, microbiome science, biotechnology and biomanufacturing, alongside digital and AI-enabled biology.

“This investment reinforces Unilever R&D’s long-standing commitment to India and its confidence in the country’s scientific talent, capabilities, innovation ecosystem and India’s emerging position in bio sciences and bio manufacturing,” said Hindustan Unilever managing director, Priya Nair.