Thu Jan 23 02:22:30 IST 2025: ## Hindustan Unilever Acquires Premium Skincare Brand Minimalist for ₹2,955 Crore

**Mumbai, January 23** – Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), a leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, announced the acquisition of Minimalist, a popular online premium skincare brand, for ₹2,955 crore. The deal, finalized on Wednesday, involves HUL acquiring a 90.5% stake in Minimalist through a combination of primary investment and secondary buyouts.

This acquisition significantly boosts HUL’s Beauty & Wellbeing portfolio, expanding its presence in the high-growth premium skincare sector. HUL CEO and Managing Director Rohit Jawa expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, highlighting Minimalist’s success built on a foundation of science, product efficacy, and transparency.

Industry analysts view the acquisition as a strategic move, giving HUL a significant advantage in the rapidly growing active ingredient skincare market. A consumer brand founder (speaking anonymously to Mint) noted that Minimalist’s focus on active ingredients positions HUL ahead of competitors in this burgeoning category.

The news comes on the heels of HUL’s strong Q4 2024 financial results, reporting a 19% year-on-year increase in net profit to ₹2,984 crore. While the beauty and wellbeing segment showed only 1% growth in the October-December quarter, this acquisition is expected to fuel future growth in this area. HUL also announced the demerger of its ice cream subsidiary, Kwality Wall’s, on the same day.

HUL’s shares closed slightly higher at ₹2,342.95 following the announcement. The acquisition underscores the growing importance of online beauty brands and the competitive landscape within the Indian beauty and personal care market.

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