Our History
Right from the start, our brands have led the plant-based spreads category. Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès, the pioneer who first created margarine, sold the patent to our predecessor Jurgens in 1871. This led to the first widely sold plant-based spreads appearing in the market.
Jurgens then joined with competitor Van den Bergh to form a company known as Margarine Unie. By the 1930s, the Lever Brothers – leaders in the FMCG industry – merged with Margarine Unie to form Unilever.
Unilever continued to grow and develop its plant-based spreads business until December 2017, when the business was sold and relaunched as Upfield. This was the start of Generation Plant.
Today, we as Upfield have a vision to create a “Better Plant-Based Future,” which informs everything we do, from product development to environmental performance.
Since the founding years of our business, we have expanded our portfolio to include plant-based creams, cheeses and oils too. We sell our products both to consumers and to chefs through our foodservice business. Helping foodies everywhere to enjoy delicious, natural ingredients that are better for us and for the planet. We are Generation Plant.
Generation Plant: tracing our roots
2020
Flora Plant is launched across Europe and the US. It cooks, bakes and spreads just like its dairy counterpart, but is better for the planet.
2019
Country Crock Plant Butter launches in the US – our first ever plant-based butter. Made with natural plant oils including olive, almond and avocado.
2000
ProActiv launches with plant sterols to actively lower cholesterol
1990’s
All of our brands begin to eliminate trans-fat and there’s the introduction of Omega 3 rich plant oils
1960’s
Introduction of new technology for reduced saturated fats and improved nutrition
1940’s
Development of the votator process and the spreads tub, for high quality spreads at lower fat levels
1900’s
Invention of the hardening of oil leading to the first plant-based spreads
1869
First plant-based spread created by Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès for Napoleon III due to butter shortage
