Candy Kittens buys Graze from Unilever in bold challenger brand play
Candy Kittens, the vegetarian and vegan sweets brand, has made a bold move by acquiring healthy snack company Graze from Unilever. The deal marks a shift in strategy for the founders, who once dreamed of being bought by the consumer goods giant themselves. Now, they aim to build a portfolio of small, innovative brands—challenging the dominance of industry leaders like Unilever. Ed Williams and Jamie Laing launched Candy Kittens in 2012 with a clear vision: to disrupt the confectionery market. The brand quickly stood out with its cat-shaped vegetarian and vegan sweets, securing deals with major UK supermarkets. By 2024, it had grown significantly, reporting £14.8 million in revenue.
The company also made history in October 2022 by becoming the first sweets brand to achieve B-Corp certification. This milestone reinforced its mission to bring purpose-driven products to supermarket shelves. Now, the founders are expanding beyond sweets. In 2025, they acquired Graze, a well-known healthy snack brand, from Unilever. The move aligns with their ambition to create a collection of fast-growing, challenger brands—essentially becoming the 'Unilever of small challenger brands'. Their strategy mirrors a wider industry trend, where large corporations like PepsiCo, Unilever, and Müller UK & Ireland increasingly snap up innovative, smaller companies. Jamie Laing, the great-great-grandson of the inventor of the McVitie’s digestive biscuit, brings a legacy of food industry success to the venture. Alongside Williams, he is now focused on scaling brands that prioritise sustainability and consumer appeal. The acquisition comes at a time when the UK economy faces challenges. Growth is expected to slow by one percent in 2026, with a weakening labour market and low consumer confidence. Despite this, Candy Kittens continues to push forward, betting on the demand for ethical and innovative products.
Candy Kittens has moved from a niche sweets maker to a company building a portfolio of challenger brands. The purchase of Graze from Unilever signals its growing influence in the food sector. With a focus on purpose-driven products, the brand is positioning itself for further expansion—even as economic headwinds gather.
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