# Unilever hails best sales in more than a decade ahead of food business spin-off

By Aarin Chiekrie — 2026-07-28

Aarin Chiekrie, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Unilever’s underlying sales growth accelerated sharply to 5.8 per cent in the second quarter, far outpacing market expectations of 4.3 per cent.

“This was driven by impressive volume growth across all its business segments, marking Unilever’s best volume quarter in over a decade.

“This strong start to the year gave Unilever the confidence to upgrade its full-year guidance, with underlying sales expected to grow by four-to-six per cent, including three per cent contributing from volumes.

“Despite the impressive top-line movement, profit growth was more subdued as commodity inflation and promotional activity related to the World Cup weighed on margins.

“Looking ahead, emerging markets are set to remain Unilever’s key growth engine. They already generate around 60 per cent of group sales, yet a huge addressable market, increasing urbanisation, and continued market share gains mean there’s a long runway for growth ahead.

“The separation of its Foods business is progressing well, with McCormick recently outlining its plans for the business alongside its intention to have a secondary listing location in London for shareholders. The deal’s not expected to close until mid-2027, pending shareholder and regulatory approval.

“In the meantime, shareholders have reacted very positively to Unilever’s improved sales performance this morning, and will be hoping that the current momentum can continue despite macroeconomic challenges.”

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