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Unilever: Developing Consistency & Better Performance
In 2024, Unilever entered a new transitioning era — sharpening its portfolio, streamlining operations, and driving faster growth through innovation and discipline. Unilever, which employs more than 120,000 people in more than 100 countries, manages to meet the wants and desires of 3.4 billion consumers each day through its 400 brands.
The company reported a turnover of €60.8 billion in 2024, with operating profit at €9.4 billion and underlying sales growth of 4.2%, led by volume gains across all business groups.
Its portfolio spans four core divisions — Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods — while the Ice Cream business is being transitioned into a standalone company to sharpen focus and unlock further value.
The Action Plan
Unilever’s transformation is anchored in its Growth Action Plan 2030 (GAP 2030) — a strategy designed to deliver “best-in-class performance with unmissably superior brands.” Under CEO Fernando Fernandez, the company is focused on three strategic pillars: focus, excel, and accelerate.
The mission focuses on Power Brands, which contribute over 75% of group turnover, and 24 priority markets representing 85% of total revenue. Led by Chief Marketing Officer Esi Eggleston Bracey, Unilever is redefining marketing around social-first storytelling, science-led innovation, and cultural relevance.
From Dove’s Advanced Care Deodorant to Liquid I.V.’s digital-first campaigns, Unilever’s marketing machine moves beyond awareness to active consumer engagement. The company’s “Unmissable Brand Superiority” framework ensures that every touchpoint — from product design to packaging and price — drives visibility, trust, and preference.
Accelerating with AI
Technology remains a powerful growth enabler at Unilever. Under Chief Technology Officer Steve McCrystal, the company integrates Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, and next-generation materials into every layer of its business — from research and development to marketing analytics.
AI is central to Unilever’s operations, with applications spanning predictive demand forecasting, automated content creation, and data-led supply chain optimization. Supporting this transformation is Chief Information Officer Sam Kini (nee Lloyd), who leads Unilever’s UniOps digital backbone — a system connecting data across 190 countries to enable faster, more intelligent decision-making.
These programs, combined with more than €987 million invested in R&D and €100 million in new fragrance technology, support Unilever’s goal to become an innovative & digitally intelligent organisation.
Brand Values and Purpose
Unilever’s enduring strength lies in its ability to blend performance with purpose. Its refreshed company purpose — “Brighten everyday life for all” — encapsulates a culture of responsibility, innovation, and integrity.
With sustainability at the centre of every initiative, Unilever continues to advance its Climate Transition Action Plan (CTAP), which focuses on climate, nature, plastics, and livelihoods. These priorities guide product innovation, supplier practices, and global brand campaigns.
The company’s values of pioneering, respect, integrity, and responsibility remain the foundation of its decision-making — ensuring that Unilever grows not just as a business, but as a force for positive impact.
Leadership for a New Chapter
Under Fernando Fernandez’s leadership, Unilever’s executive team represents a strong balance of innovation, technology, and marketing excellence.
- Fernando Fernandez, Chief Executive Officer, drives a company-wide transformation built on focus and execution.
- Sam Kini (nee Lloyd), Chief Information Officer, leads digital and IT integration through UniOps.
- Esi Eggleston Bracey, Chief Marketing Officer, champions social-first, purpose-driven brand building.
- Steve McCrystal, Chief Technology Officer, drives science-led innovation and AI-enabled growth.
Together, they reflect a renewed Unilever — fast, agile, and future-ready.
The Path Ahead
As Unilever moves toward 2030, its journey is defined by consistent execution and consumer obsession. From advanced AI capabilities to culturally resonant brand storytelling, the company sets new benchmarks for how legacy brands can evolve digitally.
With people, technology, and purpose aligned, Unilever is not just adapting to change- it’s leading it.
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Keith Nicks is EVP and Chief Digital & Commercial Officer for Ahold Delhaize USA, overseeing
omnichannel marketing, retail media, and e-commerce for U.S. brands. Tim Bork is the Chief Commercial
Officer for Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, focusing on local brands and responsible for growth,
including marketing and customer experience.
With nearly €96 billion in projected 2025 revenue, Ahold Delhaize ranks among the top 10 global
retailers, operating over 6,700 stores across multiple formats, including Albert Heijn, Delhaize, Food Lion,
Giant, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop.
6,700 stores powered by one procurement platform – a scale that makes others jealous.
For customers, Ahold isn’t just a grocery retailer; it’s a trusted lifestyle partner that combines the
intimacy of local shopping with the innovation and value of global retail leadership.
Ahold’s brands, such as Albert Heijn, Stop & Shop, and Giant, represent 37 years of average customer
relationships—customers don’t just shop there; they grow up with these brands, creating emotional
connections that transcend transactions.
After gaining thirty million loyalty members, Ahold demonstrated that personalization consistently
outperforms promotion.
BrandSensitize™ research shows that Ahold Delhaize operates with a decentralized marketing and brand
building approach, where marketing functions are embedded within:
- Brand-specific leadership (each local brand has its own marketing teams.
- Regional commercial officers who oversee marketing alongside broader commercial
responsibilities. - Digital and omnichannel specialists who handle modern marketing channels.
Ahold Delhaize’s Brand Building Initiatives:
Sustainability campaign: €50M investment reached 10M consumers, delivering a 20% boost in
sustainable product sales and generating €400M in revenue.
Digital Marketing: €150M digital budget achieved 25% higher engagement, 2.6% click-through rates (vs
1.9% industry standard), and built 500K+ social media following.
Loyalty Program: 30M members across brands with 85% customer penetration, driving 75% of total sales
and contributing €1B annually—10% better retention than competitors.
Strategic Brand Partnerships: 100+ collaborative campaigns with CPG brands, including Coca-Cola,
generated €600M in additional revenue through joint promotions.
Omnichannel Investment: A $1 billion price investment initiative, combined with AI-powered
personalization, aims to achieve an 80% loyalty sales penetration by 2028.
Strategic marketing drives measurable business results—from sustainability messaging to digital-first
loyalty programs, Ahold Delhaize demonstrates that well-executed brand-building campaigns deliver
both customer engagement and bottom-line growth on a global scale.
Ahold Delhaize’s Strategic Technology Partnerships:
- W23 Global VC Fund: $125M investment with Tesco, Woolworths & others backing AI startups
like Harmonya & Protex AI - Zycus Partnership: Source-to-Pay suite powering procurement across 6,700+ stores globally
- Hanshow Technology: Electronic shelf labels + innovation labs across all European locations.
- Inmar Intelligence: $141M in customer savings delivered through personalized digital coupons.
- DoorDash Collaboration: Tripled order volumes through enhanced last-mile delivery integration.
- Internal AI Innovation: MaxiGPT, LionGPT & Albot assistants deployed across the Serbian,
Belgian, and Czech markets. - New Tech Studio: AD/01 in Bucharest targeting 250+ tech talents for digital acceleration.
Zycus has licensed its comprehensive Source-to-Pay suite to Ahold Delhaize, including eSourcing,
Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), and Supplier Management platforms.
TCS’s relationship with Ahold Delhaize marks a mature, strategic partnership focused on digital
transformation and supply chain technology.
Wipro partnered with Capgemini as one of the most significant retail transformation initiatives in the
world at Ahold USA.
Capgemini powers Ahold Delhaize’s end-to-end transformation, developing blockchain technology use
cases for Ahold Delhaize’s supply chain and leveraging its expertise in business transformation, as well as
its understanding of Ahold’s industry and operations.
Traditional retailers, equipped with AI and Robotics, will surpass pure digital players by 2030.
The key is to position Ahold not as just another retail success story, but as the company that has
rewritten the rules of digital transformation for every traditional business watching.
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