Candy Kittens owner to Graze on Unilever snack brand

The proprietor of Candy Kittens, the vegetarian saccharine brand, is successful talks astir a cut-price woody to bargain Graze, the snacks scope owned by FTSE-100 user goods elephantine Unilever.

Sky News has learnt that Katjes Group, which is headquartered successful Germany, is successful precocious talks to bargain Graze for astir £35m.

The terms represents a immense discount connected the astir £150m Unilever paid to bargain the steadfast snacks marque successful 2019.

Graze's products, which are sold successful large supermarkets and besides done subscriptions straight to consumers, see espresso-flavoured almonds and honeycomb oat bars.

Founded successful 2008, Graze was bought by Unilever aft it saw disconnected involvement from competing bidders including Kellogg and Pepsico, the proprietor of Walker's Crisps.

The marque has performed poorly nether Unilever's ownership, however, prompting caller main enforcement Fernando Fernandez to enactment it up for merchantability earlier this year.

Nevertheless, the merchantability terms of astir £35m is little than marketplace estimates suggested earlier this year.

Mr Fernandez has besides initiated a merchantability process for salient British nutrient brands including Colman's, Bovril and Marmite, according to reports past week.

The caller Unilever brag is prioritising investments successful faster-growing areas successful user healthcare and beauty, snapping up the idiosyncratic attraction marque Wild earlier this year.

A Unilever spokesperson declined to comment.