Swikblog News Desk | UK Snacks & Business
Britain’s snack industry has been jolted by a surprise takeover. Candy Kittens founder Jamie Laing has bought UK snack brand Graze from consumer giant Unilever, in a deal that instantly changes the balance of power between traditional food multinationals and fast-growing challenger brands. The sale, first reported by outlets such as BBC News, marks one of the most eye-catching moves yet by a reality-TV-turned-entrepreneur.
For shoppers, the headline is simple: two of the best-known names on the healthy-ish snack aisle are now part of the same company. For the industry, it is a signal that founder-led brands are no longer just targets for acquisition – they are becoming buyers themselves.
Why Unilever Decided to Sell Graze
Unilever’s decision to part with Graze fits a wider reshaping of its portfolio. In recent years the company has focused on a smaller number of global “power brands”, trimming away assets that do not deliver consistent growth or strategic scale. Against that backdrop, Graze – once a subscription-box pioneer – risked becoming a mid-sized outlier in a portfolio dominated by household names in ice cream, personal care and condiments.
Graze’s story is well known: the brand exploded in popularity with letterbox snack boxes before moving heavily into supermarkets. But the landscape shifted. Supermarket own-label ranges copied its portioned, healthy-snacking pitch at lower prices, while new direct-to-consumer rivals crowded the online space. Laing’s bid offers Unilever a clean exit and gives Graze a new owner whose entire focus is snacks, not a sprawling global empire.
What Jamie Laing Gains From the Graze Takeover
For Jamie Laing, this is more than a trophy purchase. Candy Kittens started in 2012 as a glossy sweets brand built around vibrant packaging, plant-based recipes and clever social media marketing. It has since grown into a major presence in UK supermarkets – but Graze takes the business to another level.
- Scale: Graze’s distribution reaches thousands of supermarket shelves, offices and vending channels across the UK.
- Data: years of subscription-box deliveries have given the brand rich insight into snacking habits, portions and flavours.
- Infrastructure: warehousing, logistics and retail relationships that would take a younger company years to replicate.
- Diversity: where Candy Kittens is mostly sweets, Graze offers nuts, flapjacks, mixes and protein-focused snacks.
Laing has spoken frequently about his ambition to build a modern British snacking group. With Graze now under the same roof as Candy Kittens, that ambition looks less like a soundbite and more like a business plan.
For readers tracking how fast digital-era brands are changing traditional industries, it mirrors the same pattern seen in fashion and beauty – something Swikblog has already explored in coverage of youth-focused digital trends such as which apps teens still use after Australia’s social media ban.
What Could Change for Graze Shoppers?
Under Unilever, Graze remained a steady, relatively low-profile player. Under Laing, observers expect a louder, faster and more experimental strategy. Brand-watchers anticipate:
- Fresh packaging that fits the playful, design-led world Candy Kittens already occupies.
- More limited editions and seasonal flavours designed to create “drop” moments on social media.
- An even stronger plant-based and better-for-you push, with an emphasis on protein, fibre and gut-health messaging.
- Closer collaboration between the two brands, from bundle boxes to shared marketing campaigns.
None of this will happen overnight – supply chains and supermarket planograms move slowly – but the direction of travel is clear. Graze is likely to feel less like a corporate acquisition and more like a founder-led reboot.
From Made in Chelsea to Multi-Brand Boss
Jamie Laing first entered the public eye through the reality-TV series Made in Chelsea. For a long time, critics questioned whether Candy Kittens was a marketing vehicle or a serious business. A decade on, the answer is obvious: the brand has outlived the show’s early hype and built a real foothold in British retail.
The Graze takeover completes a striking pivot. Laing is no longer just a celebrity face on a packet of sweets; he is now the figurehead of a two-brand snack group with national reach. If the integration goes well, analysts believe the combined business could become an attractive export story in Europe and beyond.
What the Deal Says About the Future of UK Snacks
The transaction fits into a much bigger picture. As economic conditions squeeze big multinationals, many are slimming down to focus on a narrower set of global bestsellers. At the same time, digital-first challenger brands – backed by loyal communities and sharp branding – are looking for ways to scale up quickly. Buying an established name like Graze is one shortcut.
The question now is whether other founders will follow Laing’s lead. If Candy Kittens can successfully integrate Graze, maintain quality and grow both brands, the deal will be studied as a template for the next generation of British entrepreneurs who want to move from Instagram success to supermarket power.
