Hindustan Lever Limited (also called HLL) is India’s largest consumer products company and is headquartered in Mumbai. Lever Brothers India Limited was formed in 1933 which became Hindustan Lever Limited. It has 41,000 employees. HLL is the market leader in Indian products such as tea, soaps, detergents. As of May 2006, it is headed by Mr Douglas Bailey.

The Anglo-Dutch company Unilever owns a majority stake in Hindustan Lever Limited.
Wheel Detergent ad in rural Nepal area.
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Wheel Detergent ad in rural Nepal area.

Some of its brands include Kwality Wall’s ice cream, Lifebuoy, Lux, Breeze, Liril, Rexona, Hamam, Moti soaps, Lipton tea, Brooke Bond coffee, Pepsodent and Close Up toothpaste and brushes, and Surf, Rin and Wheel laundry detergents, Kissan squashes and jams, Annapurna salt and atta, Ponds talcs and creams, Vaseline lotions, Fair & Lovely creams, Lakme beauty products, Clinic Plus, Clinic All Clear, Sunsilk and Lux shampoos, Vim dishwash, Ala bleach and Domex disinfectant.

Founded:     1933
Headquarters:     Mumbai
Key people:     Douglas Bailey
Industry:     FMCG
Products:     tea, soap, detergents
Employees:     41,000
Parent:     Unilever
Website:     www.hll.com

Mr Douglas Bailey has taken charge as the CEO and MD of Hindustan Lever Limited in December 2005. This is consequent to the promotion of Mr Banga to Unilever’s board as President of the Foods Division (which accounts for 57% of global revenues = approximately $28 billion). Mr Bailey reports to Asia head Harish Manwani.

In February 2003 Hindustan Lever Limited has launched a new division called HINDUSTAN LEVER NETWORK.. This division markets a wide range of consumer products (called Fast Moving Consumer Goods) through Network Marketing. Network Marketing was pioneered in the United States of America in the 1940″s by companies like Amway Corporation and operates by recruiting individuals as Consultants. These consultants are paid a commission on the purchases made by them and on the purchases made by those recruited by them.