Unilever sells Graze to Candy Kittens in £36m deal led by Jamie Laing

Unilever is selling the healthy snacks brand Graze to Candy Kittens, the vegan confectionery company co-founded by Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing, in a deal understood to be worth £36 million.

The transaction will see the FTSE 100 consumer goods giant hand over the struggling brand to Katjes International, which holds a majority stake in Candy Kittens. The sale is part of a wider restructuring at Unilever as chief executive Fernando Fernández seeks to refocus the group on higher-performing beauty and personal care divisions and offload weaker assets.

Graze, founded in 2005 as one of the UK’s earliest snack-box subscription services, gained prominence for its portion-controlled punnets of nuts, seeds and cereal bars sold in supermarkets nationwide. Unilever acquired the business from private equity firm Carlyle in 2019, in a deal reported at the time to be worth up to £150 million, amid growing enthusiasm for direct-to-consumer brands.

However, the momentum faded. Graze has not turned a profit under Unilever’s ownership and recorded losses of £8.7 million last year as revenue fell nearly 10 per cent to £35.6 million. Direct-to-consumer sales — once the brand’s core growth engine — have slumped in a more cautious post-pandemic consumer environment.

The sale price represents a steep discount on the 2019 valuation, underlining the challenges facing Unilever’s food portfolio.
It comes as the company reportedly considers disposing of further heritage British brands — including Marmite, Colman’s and Bovril — and prepares to spin off its entire ice-cream division, home to Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s, in an IPO expected later this month.

Unilever said Graze would benefit from more specialised stewardship outside the group.
Georgina Bradford, its general food manager for the UK and Ireland, said the brand was “well positioned for its next phase of growth”, adding that a dedicated owner focused on healthy snacking would be better placed to unlock its potential.

For Laing and Candy Kittens co-founder Ed Williams, the acquisition fulfils a long-held ambition. The pair have previously described Graze as an inspiration for their own business, which launched in 2012 and has grown into one of the UK’s fastest-growing confectionery brands.

“Bringing Graze into the Candy Kittens Group marks a full-circle moment,” the company said.
Laing added: “I’ve always loved Graze — they changed the way the UK thinks about healthier snacking, and I think we can take that even further. I’m excited about this transaction and grateful for the opportunity to continue building the Graze brand.”

Candy Kittens, known for its vegan sweets and colourful branding, first opened a store on Chelsea’s King’s Road in 2014, leveraging Laing’s TV profile to reach younger, health-conscious consumers. The takeover of Graze marks its biggest move to date and will significantly expand its footprint in the £3bn healthy snacking market.

The sale is expected to complete in the first half of 2026, subject to approvals.