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Unilever is selling its Zwitsal brand, best known in the Netherlands and Belgium for baby shampoo, oils and skincare in distinctive yellow packaging, to Royal Sanders, a domestic personal care specialist that produces Odorex deodorant, Melkmeisje lotion and Van Gils fragrances. The consumer goods group did not disclose financial terms of the agreement. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2027.
The divestment aligns with Unilever’s drive to streamline its portfolio and concentrate resources on brands that command broad global reach, a strategy accelerated since Fernando Fernandez became chief executive. Earlier in 2026 the company completed the sale of a large part of its food business, including the Calvé brand, to McCormick. It has also shed local favorites such as Conimex and De Vegetarische Slager in recent years, Dutch news outlets reported.
“The decision to part with such an iconic and beloved brand was not taken lightly,” Griet Demasure, Unilever’s general manager for personal care, said in the company statement. Demasure noted that Zwitsal enjoys strong recognition in the Benelux but fits less well with the group’s emphasis on international scale. Unilever has described the broader effort as creating a simpler, more focused business centered on personal care and beauty.
Zwitsal originated in 1920 when Dutch pharmacy apprentice Cor Jansen returned from Switzerland with a recipe for a soothing balm he initially sold as Swiss Balm before expanding into dedicated baby products. The brand later passed through several owners, including AKZO and Sara Lee, before joining Unilever, and its Apeldoorn factory closed in 2011 with production shifting to Poland. Its logo has long featured the image of a baby with a distinctive curl of hair.
Royal Sanders, based in the southern Dutch town of Vlijmen, focuses solely on personal care and hygiene categories and will add Zwitsal’s hypoallergenic baby range to a stable that already includes Sanicur soap, Fresh Up shaving products and ProSet hair care. The acquisition allows the buyer to strengthen its position in the Benelux baby segment while preserving the brand’s nearly century-old heritage. In connection with the transaction, Baker McKenzie advised Unilever on the sale of Zwitsal to Royal Sanders.
