INTRODUCTION

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is an Indian consumer goods company headquartered in Mumbai, India.[3] It is a

subsidiary of Unilever, a British company. Its products include foods, beverages, , cleaning agents personal care
products, water purifiers and other fast-moving consumer goods.

Name & location of other branches

HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD. (HINDUNILVR) - LOCATIONS

LOCATION TYPE ADDRESS

REGISTERED OFFICE CHAKALA ANDHERI (EAST)

MUMBAI

CORPORATE OFFICE B D SAWANT MARG CHAKALA

MUMBAI

OTHERS
MUMBAI - INDIA.

A-1 INDUSTRIAL AREA

FACTORY/PLANT UPSIDC ORAI
JALAUN - INDIA

Establish
HUL was established in 1931 as Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Co. and following a merger of constituent groups in
1956, it was renamed Hindustan Lever Limited. The company was renamed in June 2007 as Hindustan Unilever Limited.[4]

HUL History
In the summer of 1888, visitors to the Kolkata harbour noticed crates full of Sunlight
soap bars, embossed with the words "Made in England by Lever Brothers". With it,
began an era of marketing branded Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

Soon after followed Lifebuoy in 1895 and other famous brands like Pears, Lux and Vim.
Vanaspati was launched in 1918 and the famous Dalda brand came to the market in 1937. 

In 1931, Unilever set up its first Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing
Company, followed by Lever Brothers India Limited (1933) and United Traders Limited (1935).
These three companies merged to form HUL in November 1956; HUL offered 10% of its equity
to the Indian public, being the first among the foreign subsidiaries to do so.

The erstwhile Brooke Bond's presence in India dates back to 1900. By 1903, the company had
launched Red Label tea in the country. In 1912, Brooke Bond & Co. India Limited was formed.
Brooke Bond joined the Unilever fold in 1984 through an international acquisition. The erstwhile
Lipton's links with India were forged in 1898. Unilever acquired Lipton in 1972, and in 1977
Lipton Tea (India) Limited was incorporated.

Pond's (India) Limited had been present in India since 1947. It joined the Unilever fold through
an international acquisition of Chesebrough Pond's USA in 1986. 

Since the very early years, HUL has vigorously responded to the stimulus of economic growth.
The growth process has been accompanied by judicious diversification, always in line with
Indian opinions and aspirations.

The liberalisation of the Indian economy, started in 1991, clearly marked an inflexion in HUL's
and the Group's growth curve. Removal of the regulatory framework allowed the company to
explore every single product and opportunity segment, without any constraints on production
capacity. 

Simultaneously, deregulation permitted alliances, acquisitions and mergers. In one of the most
visible and talked about events of India's corporate history, the erstwhile Tata Oil Mills
Company (TOMCO) merged with HUL, effective from April 1, 1993. In 1996, HUL and yet
another Tata company, Lakme Limited, formed a 50:50 joint venture, Lakme Unilever Limited,
to market Lakme's market-leading cosmetics and other appropriate products of both the
companies. Subsequently in 1998, Lakme Limited sold its brands to HUL and divested its 50%
stake in the joint venture to the company.

Sanjiv Mehta Chairman & Managing Director

Mr Sanjiv Mehta (61) is the Chairman & Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited. He also leads Unilever’s
South Asia business as President, Unilever, South Asia and is a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive.

Ritesh Tiwari Executive Director, Finance & Chief Financial Officer

Mr Ritesh Tiwari (45) is the Executive Director, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Hindustan Unilever Limited. He is also the
Vice President, Finance for Unilever, South Asia.
 Willem Uijen Executive Director, Supply Chain

Mr Willem Uijen (46) is the Executive Director, Supply Chain of Hindustan Unilever Limited.
He also leads the Supply Chain function for Unilever, South Asia.

Dev Bajpai Executive Director, Legal & Corporate Affairs and Company Secretary

Mr Dev Bajpai (55) has been a member of the Management Committee of HUL since May 2010 and was inducted on the Board of
Directors of HUL as a Whole Time Director with effect from January 2017.

O. P. Bhatt Independent Director

Mr O. P. Bhatt (70) was appointed as an Independent Director on the Board of Hindustan Unilever Limited in December 2011. He is
a Member of the Audit Committee and Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Company. He is the Chairman of the
Stakeholders Relationship Committee and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of the Company.

Sanjiv Misra Independent Director

Dr Sanjiv Misra (73) was appointed as an Independent Director on the Board of Hindustan Unilever Limited in April, 2013. He is the
Chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and a Member of the Audit Committee and Corporate Social
Responsibility Committee of the Company

Kalpana Morparia Independent Director

Ms Kalpana Morparia (72) was appointed as an Independent Director on the Board of Hindustan Unilever Limited with effect from 9th October,
2014. She is Chairperson of the Audit Committee and a Member of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee and Corporate Social
Responsibility Committee of the Company.
 Leo Puri Independent Director

Mr Leo Puri (60) has been appointed as an Independent Director on the Board of Hindustan Unilever Limited effective October 12, 2018. He is a
member of the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee and Stakeholders’ Relationship Committee of the Company.

Ashish Gupta Independent Director

Dr Ashish Gupta (54) was appointed as an Independent Director on the Board of Hindustan Unilever Limited with effect from 31st January,
2020. He is also a Member of the Audit Committee of the Company.

Anuradha Razdan Executive Director, Human Resources

Ms Anuradha Razdan (44) is a member of the Management Committee of Hindustan Unilever Limited as Executive Director, Human Resources
(HR) and Vice President HR, Unilever South Asia.

Unilever’s Vision Statement

Unilever’s corporate vision is “to make sustainable living commonplace. We believe this is the best long-
term way for our business to grow.” This vision statement puts emphasis on sustainability, especially among
consumers. The following components are notable in Unilever’s vision statement:

1. Commonplace sustainable living

2. Best long-term way
3. Business growth

1. Adding vitality to life

2. Meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene, and personal care
3. Helping people feel good, look good, and get more out of life

Adding vitality to life is a general indicator of business strategy in Unilever’s corporate mission statement. Such
vitality is the value that consumers can expect from the company’s products. The corporate mission also
specifies the aspects of life where such vitality is added. For example, Unilever’s food products address
consumers’ vitality needs in terms of nutrition. Furthermore, through these products, the company attracts
customers who want to feel good, look good, and get more out of life. The mission statement’s specification of
the types of products provides a foundation for the product mix in Unilever’s marketing mix.

Unilever’s Organizational Structure

Unilever’s corporate structure is responsible for ensuring adequate support for product innovation in
the firm’s global business. A company’s organizational structure or corporate structure is the design that
defines the arrangement and systems used to build and interconnect various organizational
components, such as offices and teams. Unilever’s organizational structure adapts to changes in the
consumer goods industry and global market. At present, the company maintains a structure that
addresses corporate needs in terms of managing product types across the world. As a leading consumer
goods firm, Unilever has an organizational structure that suitably supports diversified global
operations.With an organizational structure that enables effective product development, Unilever
continues its position as one of the biggest consumer goods companies in the world. Such organizational
structural design ensures Unilever’s continuing success despite the complexity of its global operations.

Organizational structure/Hierarchy (along with diagram)

Controlling system

Swot analysis of the companies

SWOT analysis of Hindustan Unilever – HUL SWOT analysis

May 15, 2019 By Hitesh Bhasin Tagged With: SWOT articles

Table of Contents
Strengths in the SWOT analysis of Hindustan Unilever
( HUL )
1) Brand visibility – From soap to mineral water, HUL is shaping the life of 1.3
billion people daily. Being in consumer goods market with its 20 consumer categories such as
soap, tea, detergents, shampoo etc. & each having large assortments, helped HUL in occupying
the large shelf space of Grocery /departmental stores which itself explains the
acceptance/demand of their products in the market.

2) Market leader in consumer goods: According to Nielsen data 2 out of three Indian

consumers use HUL products. HUL used selective targeting strategy to emerge as a market
leader in the Indian market.

3) Innovative FMCG Company: Hindustan Unilever Research center (HURC),Mumbai &

Unilever Research India, Bangalore ,both research facilities were bought together in a single
site in Bangalore in 2006.Employees in this facility continuously  working &
developing innovations in products & manufacturing processes which is helping the HUL to set it
as front-runner in the consumer goods market.

4) Extensive & integrated distribution system: HUL’s brands are now household name which

is only possible due to its 4 tier distribution system namely

 a) Direct Coverage through common stockist within a town of population under 50000

people.
 b) Indirect coverage: Villages closer to larger urban markets have been targeted.
 c) Streamline: Leveraging the rural wholesale market to reach markets inaccessible by
road.
 d) Project SHATKI AMMA: It targeted the very small villages (2000 population) & tapped
into pre-existing women’s SHG (self-help groups). Markets have been segmented based
on their accessibility & business potential.

5) High Brand awareness: By signing popular celebrities for the advertisements of their

products HUL has created positive word of mouth over the ages which helped them in social
acceptance of their products intelligently targeted & meant for different income groups.
6) Product line: It offers product categories namely oral care, personal care, household
surface, fabric care and pet nutrition etc. having deep assortments across the product
categories.

7) Financial position: Having more than 80 years of experience in the consumer goods market
& backed by Unilever who owns 67% controlling share in HUL, It is financially strong.

8) Market share: Through high penetration in the market, HUL had managed to hold their high
market share in different product categories.

9) Share of Wallet: Whether one buys surf /wheel /Rin detergent it will go to HUL’s pockets.

HUL strategy to offer different products for different income groups (selective targeting) has
been successful in having share of wallet of a consumer.

Weaknesses in the SWOT analysis of Hindustan Unilever

( HUL )
1) Decreasing Market share: Competitors focusing on a particular product & eating up HUL’s
share, like Ghadi & Nirma detergent eating up HUL’s wheel detergent market share.

2) Large number of brands in different product categories: Sometimes having broad

brand portfolio can lead to confused positioning. Price positioning in some categories allows for
low price competition like AMUL captured Kwality’s market share.
Opportunities in the SWOT analysis of Hindustan Unilever
( HUL )
1) Expanding market: By penetrating more in the rural markets through its project Shakti
AMMA and transition of unorganized business to organized one will lead to further expansion of
the consumer goods market.

2) Awareness in usage rate of consumer goods: People getting more aware and conscious
about the usage may be through advertising /word of mouth /doctor prescription ,is resulting in
increase in usage rate of the these products.

3) Increasing Income levels: Due to stable political scenario, improved literacy rate &
controlled inflation, disposable income of the people is increasing thereby resulting into upsurge
in demand & changing their lifestyle.

Threats in the SWOT analysis of Hindustan Unilever

( HUL )
1) Competition in the market: With increasing number of local & national players it’s becoming
very hard for the companies to differentiate themselves from others. There is also threat from
counterfeit products destroying its brand image in the market.

2) Price of commodities: Increasing price of commodities will result in further increase in the

price. Further increase in price will result in decrease in sales, margins & brand switching.

3) Buyers power: With highly diversified consumer goods market where there are lots of
brands claiming different sorts of benefits, it’s very difficult for consumers to stick to a particular
brand & hence results into brand switching where consumer got power to select a brand based
on several factors  like availability, reference group recommendation, preference & price.

Any other specific detail

Research facilities

Unilever R&D Centre in Bangalore

The Hindustan Unilever Research Centre (HURC) was set up in 1966 in Mumbai, and Unilever Research India
in Bangalore in 1997. In 2006, the company's research facilities were brought together at a single site in Bangalore.[