UL

Unilever Plc

A maker of everyday household goods, Unilever owns familiar brands such as Dove soaps, Hellmann's mayonnaise, Knorr seasonings, Lipton tea, and Ben & Jerry's ice cream, found in kitchens, bathrooms, and fridges around the world. It was born in 1929 when the British soap maker Lever Brothers joined with the Dutch Margarine Unie, a merger that gave the combined company its portmanteau name blending "margarine" and "Unie." The name itself is the fun part: "Unilever" is a mash-up of the two words that defined its founding businesses.