, Columnist
Unilever's Growing Pains
But with targets getting pricier, fending off predators becomes harder.
This article is for subscribers only.
For evidence of how much good the whiff of a hostile takeover can bring, look no further than Unilever NV's transformation since Kraft Heinz Co.'s failed tilt at the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods group in February.
Unilever staff took 30 percent fewer flights in the first half and the firm paid 24 percent less for their seats. Ad campaigns ran longer before being updated, and shoots took place at less glamorous locations. While Unilever takes pride in treating stakeholders fairly, even the supply chain got squeezed, with 500 million euros ($575 million) of costs being zapped.