Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India’s leading consumer goods company. It is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. HUL is actually a subsidiary of the British-Dutch multinational company, Unilever which is one of the largest fast-moving consumer goods companies (FMCG) in the world. The story of Hindustan Unilever can be traced back to the early 1930s. Unilever set up its first Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Company in 1931. Two years later in 1933, it would set up Lever Brothers India Limited. Another two years later in 1935 Unilever established United Traders Limited. Hindustan Unilever was officially formed after Unilever merged these three subsidiaries in 1956. In 1972, Unilever acquired the tea brand Lipton and in 1977 Lipton Tea (India) Limited was incorporated. Unilever acquired the tea brand Brooke Bond in 1984 and thus Brooke Bond & Co. India Limited became part of Hindustan Unilever. Pond's (India) Limited became a part of Hindustan Unilever in 1986 after an international acquisition by Unilever of Chesebrough Pond's USA. 1993 was the year when Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO) merged with HUL. Hindustan Unilever formed a joint venture with US-based Kimberly Clark Corporation in 1994. Kimberly Clark marketed Huggies Diapers and Kotex Sanitary Pads. In the late 1990s, Brooke Bond Lipton India Limited (BBLIL) and Pond's (India) Limited (PIL) merged with HUL. Cosmetics major Lakmé Limited sold its brands to Hindustan Unilever in 1998. 2000 was a major year for HUL as the Indian government awarded 74 per cent equity in Modern Foods to the FMCG major. HUL acquired the remaining stake in 2002. In 2007, the company name was formally changed from Hindustan Lever Limited to Hindustan Unilever Limited. GSK Consumer Healthcare officially merged with Hindustan Unilever in 2020. As of March 2022, HUL operates 50 plus brands across categories. HUL has around 21,000 workers and has sales exceeding Rs 50,000 crores as recorded in the financial year 2021-22.   

Product and services 

FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) owns brands that are spread across a variety of categories. HUL operates brands in segments such as fabric solutions, home and hygiene and life essentials. Brands also cover skin cleansing, skincare, hair care and colour cosmetics. HUL also owns oral care and deodorant brands. Some of the popular brands of HUL in the personal care segment are Dove, Lux, Lifebuoy, Pepsodent, Closeup, Axe and Clinic Plus. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is also present in the food segment in areas such as tea, coffee, ice cream and frozen desserts, foods and health food drinks. Brands in these segments include Lipton, Brooke Bond, Knorr, Kwality Wall's and Kissan. HUL also offers water purifiers under its brand Pureit. 

Listing 

HUL launched its Initial Public Offer (IPO) in 1956. HUL was first listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on July 6, 1956. HUL is listed in a number of other stock exchanges like NSE, Calcutta Stock Exchange, Delhi Stock Exchange, Madras Stock Exchange etc. HUL is a part of multiple indices like Nifty 50, Nifty 500, S&P BSE Sensex etc.