07.02.08
Chicago, IL
312.726.2600
www.saralee.com
Sales: $2 billion
Sales:
$2 billion for household and personal care products. Corporate sales: $12.2 billion. Net income: $504 million for the year ended June 30, 2007.Key Personnel:
Brenda C. Barnes, chairman and chief executive officer; Vincent Janssen, executive vice president and chief executive officer, Sara Lee household and body care.
Major Products:
Body care—Sanex, Duschdas, Radox, Monsavon and Prodent. Air care—Ambi Pur; Shoe care—Kiwi and Meltonian polishes, cleaners and wax; Insecticide—Vapona, Catch, GoodKnight, Bloom and Ridsect.New Products:
Renuzit TriScents.
Comments:
Corporate sales rose 7.1%, but net income declined 9.4%. Sales of household and personal care products jumped 11%. Household and personal care unit volume increased 5.6%, driven by strong unit volumes for insecticides, body care and air care. Insecticide volumes grew due to strength in India and Europe. Body care unit volume increases were driven by strong volumes across this core category, particularly for Sanex shower gels and deodorants and Duschdas and Radox bath and shower products. In air care, unit volumes continued to increase behind the international rollouts of Ambi Pur 3Volution and Ambi Pur Puresse.Chairman Brenda Barnes said the company has turned the corner in its restructuring program and is now functioning as an integrated operating company with significant growth potential, rather than a holding company. In addition, the company consolidated its North American operations in its Chicago headquarters. The move enables Sara Lee to leverage talent and resources. International business continues to be managed from The Netherlands.
For the nine months ended March 31, 2008, sales of household and body care products rose 13.1% to $1.7 billion. Unit volume was up 5.9%, primarily driven by strong unit volumes in air care and insecticides. Air care unit volume was up driven by strength in electrical plug-in air fresheners. In a partnership with Dial/Henkel, Sara Lee’s innovative 3Volution air freshener was successfully launched in the U.S. under the Renuzit TriScents brand name in the third quarter. Unit volumes for insecticides grew primarily as a result of strong volumes in France and India.