Iconic British condiment is being sold to US giant in £48 billion deal

One of Britain’s best-known food brands and makers of the popular mustard, Colman’s, is being put up for sale as part of a huge deal that will see US food giant McCormick take control of Unilever’s food business.

The 212-year-old Colman’s brand is being marketed to potential buyers, after Unilever instructed investment bank Rothschild to find them a new owner, according to Sky News.

The brand’s famous yellow packaging and distinctive mustard have become fixtures of British kitchens, particularly alongside roast beef and traditional dishes.

The move is intended to address competition concerns surrounding Unilever’s planned combination with McCormick, which already owns rival mustard brand French’s.

The wider transaction is valued at approximately $65 billion, equivalent to around £48 billion, and will bring together some of the biggest names in the global food industry.

The sale is partly to address competition concerns, as the brand already owns French's (Betty Laura Zapata/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Under the agreement, which was announced in March, McCormick will pay Unilever $15.7 billion in cash and issue $29.1 billion worth of shares.

The resulting business will combine McCormick’s spices, sauces and condiments with Unilever brands including Hellmann’s, Knorr, Marmite and Pot Noodle.

However, Colman’s will not form part of the new food giant if a buyer is found.

A Unilever spokesperson said the company had decided to market “the Colman’s brand and assets to potential buyers” in order to proactively address competition concerns arising from the planned combination with McCormick.

“Discussions are ongoing and the operations continue as usual,” the spokesperson said.

The exact value of Colman’s has not been disclosed, although sources have indicated that its value is relatively small compared with the overall transaction.

The brand has enormous cultural significance in Britain.

Colman’s traces its origins to 1814, when Jeremiah Colman began milling flour and crushing mustard seeds near Norwich.

His nephew James later joined the business, helping to establish the company as one of Britain’s leading mustard producers.

The distinctive bull’s-head logo was introduced in 1855, while the company received a royal warrant from Queen Victoria in 1866.

Colman’s subsequently became part of Reckitt & Colman before being acquired by Unilever in 1995.

The iconic yellow branding and the association with Norwich is long-standing (Photo by loannis Alexopoulos/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The brand's association with Norwich has remained strong, with Colman's becoming a familiar part of the city’s identity.

Once the McCormick transaction is completed, Unilever will largely withdraw from the food sector and concentrate on beauty, wellbeing, personal care and home care instead.

The remaining portfolio includes globally recognised names such as Dove, Persil and Lynx.

McCormick, meanwhile, is set to become a major global food company with a portfolio spanning sauces, seasonings, spices and condiments.

Its existing brands include French’s, Frank’s RedHot and Cholula.

The combination is expected to create a food business worth about $65 billion, making it one of the largest transactions ever seen in the food industry.

The deal remains subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals and is expected to complete by the middle of 2027.

For Colman’s, the sale could mark the beginning of a new chapter after more than two centuries under British ownership.

For now, Unilever says Colman’s will continue operating as normal while potential buyers are considered.