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LIPTON Teas and Infusions B.V. is a Dutch multinational company headquartered in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
, that produces tea and other herbal drinks. Founded as a spin-off from
Unilever Unilever PLC () is a British multinational consumer packaged goods company headquartered in London, England. It was founded on 2 September 1929 following the merger of Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie with British soap maker Lever B ...
in 2021, it is the largest tea company in the world, owning brands, such as
Lipton Lipton is a brand named after its founder, Sir Thomas Lipton, Tom Lipton, who started an eponymous grocery retail business in the United Kingdom in 1871. The brand was used for various consumer goods sold in Lipton stores, including tea from 1 ...
, PG Tips, and TAZO. First formed in 2020 as a distinct division within Unilever named Ekaterra, in November 2021,
Jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
-based
private equity Private equity (PE) is stock in a private company that does not offer stock to the general public; instead it is offered to specialized investment funds and limited partnerships that take an active role in the management and structuring of the co ...
firm CVC Capital Partners reached an agreement to purchase the business for €4.5 billion. The sale was completed in 2022, after which Ekaterra was renamed as Lipton Teas and Infusions. Unilever retained the use of the brands in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
, and
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
, as well as its ready-to-drink
Lipton Lipton is a brand named after its founder, Sir Thomas Lipton, Tom Lipton, who started an eponymous grocery retail business in the United Kingdom in 1871. The brand was used for various consumer goods sold in Lipton stores, including tea from 1 ...
Iced Tea
joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acce ...
with
PepsiCo PepsiCo, Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation headquartered in Harrison, New York, in the hamlet of Purchase, New York, Purchase. PepsiCo's business encompasses all aspects of the f ...
.


History

The Lipton brand named after its founder, Sir Tom Lipton who started an eponymous grocery retail business in the United Kingdom in 1871. The Lipton tea business was acquired by consumer goods company Unilever in a number of separate transactions, completed in 1972 when Unilever bought the remainder of the global Lipton business from Allied Suppliers. Founded as a divestment of the majority of Unilevers global tea holdings, Lipton Teas and Infusions became an independent company following the completion of the sale of the majority of Unilever’s tea business to CVC Capital Partners in July 2022. A month after the sale, the company announced its withdrawal from the Russian market due to the
Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
. The situation in the country "does not allow the company to develop its business steadily", said a spokesperson. The company launched the Lipton Tea Innovation & Technology Academy together with the Government of
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
and the
University of Kabianga The University of Kabianga is located in Kabianga, Belgut constituency, Kericho county in Kenya. The university is situated in the Kabianga Complex, along with the Kabianga Boys High School and Primary School as well as the Kabianga Tea Farm. ...
in February 2024 to offer training varying from vocational courses to advanced degrees in tea growing and harvesting. In May 2024, Lipton Teas and Infusions announced an agreement to sell its tea estates in Kenya,
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
, and
Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...
to Browns Investments with the proceeds reinvested into
East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...
’s tea industry.


Brands

Lipton Teas and Infusions owns over 30 tea brands including: * Bushells *
Brooke Bond Brooke Bond is a brand of tea owned by Lipton Teas and Infusions, except in India, Nepal, and Indonesia where it is owned by Unilever. Brooke Bond was formerly an independent tea- trading and manufacturing company in the United Kingdom, known ...
(except for in India, Nepal and Indonesia) * Elephant * Joko * Laojee *
Lipton Lipton is a brand named after its founder, Sir Thomas Lipton, Tom Lipton, who started an eponymous grocery retail business in the United Kingdom in 1871. The brand was used for various consumer goods sold in Lipton stores, including tea from 1 ...
(except for in India, Nepal and Indonesia, or ready-to-drink Lipton Iced Tea) * Lyons Tea (Ireland) * Pukka * PG Tips * Red Rose Tea (Canada only) * Salada (Canada only) * Scottish Blend * TAZO * T2


References


External links

* 2021 establishments in the Netherlands 2021 establishments in the United Kingdom 2022 mergers and acquisitions Corporate spin-offs CVC Capital Partners companies Food and drink companies established in 2021 Food and drink companies of the Netherlands Food and drink companies of the United Kingdom Manufacturing companies established in 2021 Multinational companies headquartered in the Netherlands Private equity portfolio companies Tea companies Former Unilever companies Privately held companies of the Netherlands Privately held companies of the United Kingdom {{Netherlands-company-stub