Sue Mitchell
August 9, 2017
AFR
Global consumer goods giant Unilever has snapped up another iconic Australian brand, buying 60-year-old icecream company Weis Frozen Foods from the founding Weis family.
Unilever said on Wednesday it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Weis for an undisclosed price, bolstering its Streets icecream range which includes Australian brands Golden Gaytime, Splice, Bubble ‘O Bill and Paddle Pop and global brands such as Magnum.
Weis is a second-generation Australian ice cream and frozen dessert manufacturer founded in 1957 by Les Weis. Weis products, which include the popular Mango Weis bar, are made in the Weis factory in Toowoomba, Queensland, using locally sourced ingredients.
Unilever Australia and New Zealand chief executive Clive Stiff said the Anglo-Dutch food and beverages giant would continue to manufacture Weis products at the Toowoomba plant and to source fruit locally following the acquisition.
“We are committed to providing Weis consumers and customers with the same exceptional products with the same high quality natural ingredients and we are pleased to be continuing its manufacturing operation here in Toowoomba,” Mr Stiff said.
“We look forward to welcoming Weis’ strong, dedicated and passionate team to Unilever.” Unilever owns top-selling brands including Flora, Bushells, Liptons, Tea Too, Dove, Rexona, Surf and Ben & Jerry’s.
“This acquisition will bring Weis the benefits of scale, strong market access and ice cream category expertise to help take the business to the next level in its growth,” he said.
Weis managing director Julie Weis said the Weis family had agreed to sell their business because Unilever had demonstrated it understood the Weis brand, products and culture, including the importance of continuing to manufacture in Toowoomba.
“In addition Unilever’s scale will enable greater market access and growth that will provide opportunities for our extended Weis family of staff, suppliers, customers and … consumers,” Ms Weis said.
Founder Les Weis said Unilever would give Weis the “push” it needed to grow.
“Learning about the many founders involved in Unilever’s business right from its original founder William Lever through to Australia’s Edwin Street has greatly encouraged my wife Val and I, and the family, that Weis will be in good company and under long-term care with Unilever,” he said.
“Val has always said to me ‘business is like a wheelbarrow, it doesn’t go anywhere unless someone pushes it’ and I think Unilever will give Weis just the push it needs.”
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