Abstract
Unilever's debut as a company began in 1930, however its history dates back much earlier, to the late 19th century. Its origins began with a partnership between British soap maker Lever Brothers and the Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie. Oils and fats were essential raw materials for both companies, thus a partnership to import such materials was created in order to purchase in larger volumes. With increased competition for raw materials and deteriorating economic conditions in the 1920s, the partner companies aligned their strategies to create Unilever as is known today.
Despite the unfavorable economic conditions and World War II, Unilever continued to diversify its portfolio to encompass various food products. Throughout the years following the war, Unilever implemented an acquisition strategy to expand into new emerging international markets. Similarly, Unilever's competitors in the consumer goods industry were growing in size and influence, inciting intense competition amongst the actors.In the 1980s Unilever was identified as one of the largest companies in the world, however a new strategic vision was being developed to reduce its portfolio of products to include several core products. Throughout the 1990s, Unilever shed many of its products and refined its new customer-focused strategy.
