In a move aimed at spurring growth and investment in Ethiopia, Unilever has today unveiled a world-class oral care plant, a first of its kind in Ethiopia and third in Africa, at Unilever’s factory in Eastern Industry Zone, Dukem.

The new factory line will produce Signal, a leading oral care brand and comes as additional investment to the soap, detergent, and Knorr manufacturing plants inaugurated by Unilever in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Bruno Witvoet, Unilever Africa President, reiterated Unilever’s commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s local economy through increased direct investments.

“From today we will see locally produced Signal toothpaste coming out of a world class oral care plant and, even better, we are inaugurating it with a 100% female workforce.  The rising incidence of tooth decay is one of the major reasons kids miss school and increases medical fees for families.  We can help stop that and nothing represents our Unilever values better than helping build an economy through a locally manufactured global brand like Signal with a strong purpose at its heart” said Bruno.

Today’s launch is also testament of Unilever’s strong commitment to continue to expand its business in Ethiopia and create more job opportunities while also working towards improving the lives and wellbeing of Ethiopian consumers at large.

The habit of brushing with toothpaste and toothbrush ranks lowest in Ethiopia compared to other countries in the world.  Tooth cavity is the most widespread disease in the world and over the years, this issue has also become prevalent in Ethiopia. Unilever hopes to change these statistics and today’s move will go a long way in bringing to life it’s big goal of helping Ethiopians take action of improving their health and wellbeing.

The new line is being commissioned by a 100% female crew, another first and very symbolic statement reflecting on Unilever’s high commitment to drive diversity agenda in Ethiopia

—ENDS—

About Unilever Ethiopia

Unilever is one of the leading suppliers of food, home and personal care products in Ethiopia. Unilever Manufacturing PLC was established in 2015 in Ethiopia and is already supporting a growing network of Ethiopian suppliers, distributors and traders. The company continues to add capacity in local manufacturing in Ethiopia, after onshoring Soaps, Detergent Powders and Bouillons.

Working to create a brighter future every day, Unilever helps people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Its portfolio includes most loved locally produced brands, Signal, Lifebuoy, OMO, Sunlight, Knorr, Geisha and Lux, as well as key world’s renowned brands, like Dove, fair n lovely, Axe, among many others.

Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan underpins the company’s strategy and commits to:

• Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being by 2020.
• Halving the environmental impact of our products by 2030.
• Enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020.

The USLP creates value by driving growth and trust, eliminating costs and reducing risks. The company’s sustainable living brands are growing 50% faster than the rest of the business and delivered more than 60% of the company’s growth in 2016.

Unilever was ranked number one in its sector in the 2017 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In the FTSE4Good Index, it achieved the highest environmental score of 5. It led the list of Global Corporate Sustainability Leaders in the 2017 GlobeScan/SustainAbility annual survey for the seventh year running. Unilever has pledged to become carbon positive in its operations by 2030.

For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com.

For more information on the USLP: www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/

For More information please contact Tim Kleinebenne

Email: Tim.Kleinebenne@unilever.com | Tel: +251 115 503000, 0912 507679