Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is more than just a brand-it’s a legacy. Starting in 1888 with the launch of Sunlight soap by its British parent company, Unilever, HUL’s journey in India is legendary. Despite the Swadeshi movement, which urged Indians to boycott foreign goods, HUL not only survived but thrived.

Over the decades, HUL transformed itself from a foreign soap seller into a household name. It dominated the Indian market with affordable sachets, cracked the detergent price war against Nirma with Wheel, and innovated its way past competition like P&G.

Its success lies in deep rural penetration, hyper-local marketing, and consistent innovation-from launching street-side shampoos to acquiring health drink giant Horlicks. HUL now earns over ₹60,000 crore annually and is valued at more than ₹7 trillion.

Touching over 3.5 billion lives daily across 190+ countries, HUL’s India story proves that understanding Indian consumers deeply-and adapting fast-is the real formula for success.