Deals, Dates And Difficulties: Health And Wellness Industry News

Unilever PLC dips into the organic herbals market for its latest tea brand and also reaches into the herbal supplement space by acquiring British firm Pukka Herbs Ltd., which has annual sales of more than £30m ($39.6m) with around 30% growth driven by sales in Europe and the US. On Sept. 7, Unilever did not disclose terms of the deal, but said market research shows "Pukka is the fastest growing organic tea company in the world" and competes in the herbal, fruit and green tea market currently worth €1.6bn ($2.1bn) with signs pointing to continued market-share intrusion against traditional tea types. The London-based personal care and food manufacturer already markets England's top-selling team, PG Tips packaged in pyramid bags, and Lipton, the global leader available in more than 150 countries. In a release, Pukka Herbs founder and "master herbsmith" Sebastian Pole said he and partner and CEO Tim Westwell chose Unilever for its "scale and sustainability," providing "a meeting of values." Pole said Pukka "will remain 100% organic and a champion for fair trading through pioneering schemes like Fair for Life, and continue to donate 1% of its sales to global environmental charities."