LONDON, Sep 09, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Unilever today announced that it has completed the sale of its North
American laundry business in US, Canada and Puerto Rico to Vestar
Capital Partners (Vestar).

Vestar, a leading global private equity firm, will merge the business
with its existing operation, Huish Detergents Inc., to form a new
company, The Sun Products Corporation (Sun Products).

Unilever has received an aggregate consideration of approximately $1.45
billion, consisting of approximately $1.075 billion in cash, preferred
shares in Sun Products with a face value of $375 million, and warrants
offering the opportunity to acquire up to 2.5% of the common equity of
Sun Products.

The sale is part of Unilever's previously
announced plans to dispose of non-strategic brands with collectively
more than 2 billion in turnover.

Unilever Safe Harbour:

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements,
including'forward-lookingstatements' within the meaning of the United
States PrivateSecurities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as
'expects','anticipates', 'intends' or the negative of these terms and
other similarexpressions of future performance or results, including
financial objectives to2010, and their negatives are intended to
identify such forward-lookingstatements. These forward-looking
statements are based upon currentexpectations and assumptions regarding
anticipated developments and otherfactors affecting the Group. They are
not historical facts, nor are theyguarantees of future performance.
Because these forward-looking statementsinvolve risks and
uncertainties, there are important factors that could causeactual
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by
theseforward-looking statements, including, among others, competitive
pricing andactivities, consumption levels, costs, the ability to
maintain and manage keycustomer relationships and supply chain sources,
currency values, interestrates, the ability to integrate acquisitions
and complete planned divestitures,the ability to complete planned
restructuring activities,physical risks, environmental risks, the
ability to manage regulatory, tax andlegal matters and resolve pending
matters within current estimates, legislative,fiscal and regulatory
developments, political, economic and social conditions inthe
geographic markets where the Group operates and new or changed
priorities ofthe Boards.Further details of potential risks and
uncertainties affecting theGroup are described in the Group's filings
with the London Stock Exchange,Euronext Amsterdam and the US Securities
and Exchange Commission, including theAnnual Report & Accounts on Form
20-F. These forward-looking statements speakonly as of the date of this
announcement. Except as required by any applicablelaw or regulation,
the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertakingto release
publicly any updatesor revisions to any forward-looking
statementscontained herein to reflect any change in the Group's
expectations with regardthereto or any change in events, conditions or
circumstances on which any suchstatement is based.

About Unilever

Unilever's mission is to add vitality to life.
We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with
brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life.

Unilever is one of the world's leading
suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong local roots in more
than 100 countries across the globe. Its portfolio includes some of the
world's best known and most loved brands
including twelve 1 billion brands and global
leadership in many categories in which the company operates. The
portfolio features brand icons such as Knorr, Lipton, Hellmann's,
Flora, Breyer's, Dove, Lux, Pond's,
Degree, Axe, Suave, Sunsilk, Persil, Cif and Domestos.

Unilever has around 174,000 employees in approaching 100 countries and
generated annual sales of over 40 billion in
2007. For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com.

SOURCE: Unilever

Unilever Media Relations: 
Unilever US: Anita Larsen, + 1 201-894-7760 
Unilever London: Trevor Gorin + 44 20 7822 6010 
Unilever Rotterdam: 
Gerbert van Genderen Stort + 31 (0)10 217 4844

Copyright Business Wire 2008