Horlicks is owned by Unilever (the United Kingdom, LSE: ULVR), which acquired the brand on 1 April 2020 for €3.3 billion.[1][2] Horlicks was founded in 1873 in the United Kingdom and was independent until 2020.
Horlicks is a malted milk drink invented in 1873 by two British brothers who had emigrated to Chicago, originally as an infant food and later as a bedtime drink. Unilever acquired the South Asian rights with GlaxoSmithKline's Indian consumer nutrition business in 2020, and the brand is now sold mainly in India and Bangladesh.
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Unilever acquired GlaxoSmithKline's Indian consumer nutrition business, including Horlicks, in a transaction valued at about €3.3 billion and settled largely in Hindustan Unilever shares. It is one of the largest deals ever done in Indian consumer goods.
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The parent company of Horlicks is Unilever, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United Kingdom.
Yes. Horlicks originated in the United Kingdom in 1873 and its owner, Unilever, is also headquartered in the United Kingdom.
Unilever completed its acquisition of Horlicks on 1 April 2020, after announcing the deal on 3 December 2018. The deal was valued at €3.3 billion (enterprise value).
Horlicks was an independent company from its founding in 1873 until Unilever acquired it in 2020.
Yes. As of 16 September 2026, Horlicks is still owned by Unilever. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
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