Unilever has confirmed plans to sell off UK mustard brand Colman’s and is actively seeking potential buyers for the business.

This is part of the FMCG giant’s restructuring ahead of the merger of Unilever Foods and McCormick, which will form a major business in the food industry.

Colman’s Mustard was founded in Norfolk and has been operating since 1814. The financial details of the upcoming sale were not disclosed.

This comes after there were reports that the company was considering selling Colman’s Mustard last year in November.

A Unilever spokesperson said: “A decision has been taken to market the Colman’s brand and assets to potential buyers in order to proactively seek to address potential competition concerns from the planned combination of Unilever Foods and McCormick. Discussions are ongoing, and the operations continue as usual.”

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For the past year the company has undergone an evaluation of its portfolio and offloaded multiple brands, including Graze and The Vegetarian Butcher.

The business aims to streamline its umbrella of brands to focus on the higher-performing categories and has the long-term ambition to become a leading consumer goods manufacturer.

The merger between Unilever Foods and McCormick is expected to be completed by mid-2027, subject to shareholder approval and other customary closing conditions.

The companies forecasted that the joint business will generate around $600m in annual cost savings by the end of its third year.