As The Grocer went to press Unilever was set to announce a major management reshuffle by appointing separate executives to head its food and household divisions. The move, to be announced with Unilever's second quarter results, will inevitably fuel speculation the consumer products giant is considering demerging into two discrete businesses. A spokesman refused to comment ahead of the announcement, but a spate of recent acquisitions to Unilever's food unit has made the company appear increasingly large and unwieldy. Chairman Niall Fitzgerald recently admitted: "Unless large firms continue to find ways to reinvent, reenergise and redirect themselves, they won't be around for long." {{NEWS }}

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