How Unilever International scales speed and agility across Southeast Asia
5 Oct 20256 min read
Summary
- Unilever International (UI) operates on a rapid product launch model, releasing new items nearly every day by leveraging seamless cross-functional collaboration and real-time data from integrated systems like SAP and Salesforce. This approach supports a portfolio of over 10,000 products and more than 500 innovations annually, allowing UI to time launches precisely with market trends and pop culture events.
- UI targets complex and fragmented markets often overlooked by competitors, serving diaspora communities and SMILE geographies while scaling local brands globally. Facilities like the Philippines Foods factory combine automation and local manufacturing to boost capacity and meet both domestic and export demand efficiently.
- Digital tools, AI, and cloud-based platforms enable UI to navigate uneven infrastructure, shifting tariffs, and rapid e-commerce growth in Southeast Asia. An entrepreneurial culture empowers teams to experiment and adapt quickly, turning the most challenging 20% of markets into a source of competitive advantage and sustained growth.
In the fast-moving world of consumer goods, speed is often the difference between leading the trends and missing it altogether. While most fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies measure product development in months, Unilever International (UI) works on a shorter timeline, with new products on a daily basis.UI was established in 2012, designed to reach markets and consumers that the company’s mainstream could not always prioritize. What began as an effort to serve the underserved has developed into a significant contributor to growth, addressing demand in fragmented markets and among diaspora communities worldwide.Value Chain Asia speaks to Amit Mohta, Head of Supply Chain at Unilever International, about how the company sustains near-daily product launches, manages complexity as an advantage in the competitive scene, and prepares for the next wave of growth in Southeast Asia.
Building a System That Can Launch a Product a Day
Launching a new product everyday may sound unusual for business operations, but for UI it reflects a business model that prioritizes speed with purpose.
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“Our ability to launch nearly a product a day is only made possible through seamless collaboration across all functions of the business,” Mohta says. “From supply chain to marketing, finance and HR, each function plays a critical role in helping us move quickly, cohesively and effectively.” he adds.
Today, UI manages a massive portfolio of more than 10,000 products and delivers over 500 innovations yearly, supported by over 100 sourcing units, 700 distributors and 50 freight vendors worldwide. Its integration of SAP and Salesforce provides a real-time decision-making backbone, enabling teams to act on data instead of instincts. The payoff can be seen in UI’s high-profile launches, such as the Vaseline Lip Care x Emily in Paris limited-edition collection.
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“As the Netflix series was rolled out progressively in different markets, we had to ensure that the product launch was precisely timed to match the release of the series in each market – so that when a consumer saw it on screen, they could find it on their retail shelves the next day.” Mohta recalls.
In the Philippines, the product line sold out within three hours and became top-ranked lip balm on Lazada and Shopee, contributing to a 40% increase in brand growth.
Tackling the “Hardest 20%”
While most companies utilize the principle of focusing on the 80% of the markets that generate the most revenue, UI places a greater focus on the remaining segments.
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“Most companies adopt the 80/20 principle: to focus on areas that bring in 80% of the revenue and leave behind the remaining 20% that is too complex. But for us, we see this complexity as a competitive edge—what if we could solve the 20% complexity, and generate a solution that’s scalable and profitable?” Mohta says.
This approach reflects into serving fragmented markets, diaspora communities, and SMILE geographies (small, island, landlocked, or extreme). From Bru coffee in India to Lady’s Choice mayonnaise in the Philippines and Rafhan custard in Pakistan, UI ensures that local brands reach consumers abroad. Unilever Philippines, for example, manufactures 90% of its products locally through its Foods factory in Cavite— employing 700 personnel that produce items like Lady’s Choice, Knorr, and Best Foods, some of which are exported to Asia, Australia, and North America. Moreover, the facility boosted capacity by 25% and output by 20% in three years, with over 80% lines automated. Meanwhile, in premium categories, Unilever International has introduced Korea’s AHC beauty line in Singapore, tapping consumers who appreciate premium ranges and are aware of beauty trends.
Navigating Southeast Asia’s Uneven Infrastructure
To overcome Southeast Asia’s present unique logistic challenges when marketing new products and existing product entries, UI established a center of excellence for documentation, using AI-powered optical character recognition tools to cut through the red tape. One consignment alone can require 12 separate documents and the system ensures near 100% accuracy while providing visibility into container status.A cloud-based eB2B distributive-trade platform now connects 500,000 small retailers, 600 distributors, and over 6,000 sales representatives—processing about 75,000 orders daily and supporting approximately €2.5 billion in annualised sales. This platform includes AI-enabled recommendations, route optimization, and stock visibility to overcome fragmented infrastructure and elevate service for small-format retailers.
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“During the Red Sea crisis, we had instant visibility of our containers – along with alternate sourcing options, we could deliver strong growth by bringing the much-loved brands from the US to the Philippines.” Mohta highlights.
That same agility reaches across UI’s distributor network which can pivot routes quickly to avoid choke points and check product flow even in remote island markets or landlocked countries like Laos.
Preparing For Next Consumer Wave
Southeast Asia’s consumer markets are evolving rapidly— faster product cycles, greater SKU proliferation and a growing demand for personalization which contributes in redefining how FMCG firms operate. Specifically, the region’s transformation of e-commerce, with GMV projected to reach US$230 billion by 2026. This growth is mostly influenced by innovations like live selling (TikTok, Shopee Live), AI/AR-powered personalization, and omnichannel models such as Buy Online, Pick Up In Store (BOPIS) embraced by players like IKEA, Shopee, and Lazada.
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“To stay ahead in Southeast Asia’s evolving consumer landscape, where shopper needs and behaviours become more fragmented and demand for personalisation grows, our business must be able to continue responding in real-time to stay competitive.” Mohta says.
UI invests in digital tools such as AI and forecasting, applying methods like social listening to final product delivery.
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“We are continuously investing in our digital capabilities and AI tools to sharpen demand sensing, optimise our supply chain operations, and accelerate speed-to-market at the right channels.” Mohta adds.
Culture as the Ultimate Differentiator
UI highlights culture as a vital element of its model. When asked what competitors might overlook when they try to replicate the model, “They might underestimate the level of agility and the entrepreneurial culture needed to make this business model successful.” Mohta notes.
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“This model thrives because of our agile, entrepreneurial culture. Our strength lies in empowering our teams to experiment and fail forward,” he adds.
In practice, employees are encouraged to test ideas, adapt quickly, and approach setbacks as part of the process. This combination of entrepreneurial speed with corporate scale has contributed to UI’s expansion. At present, the company reaches over 500 million diaspora consumers across more than 40 SMILE markets.
The 20% Edge in Emerging Markets
Unilever International’s approach illustrates an uncommon path for FMCG growth in emerging markets. By leaning into complexity like embracing digital tools for visibility and speed, and fostering a culture of entrepreneurial agility— UI has turned Southeast Asia into a testing ground and a growth engine.From syncing product launches with current trends to serving niche diaspora necessities, UI’s model proved that the most fragmented spaces can also drive meaningful growth. As Southeast Asia’s consumer demand continues to grow more volatile, the ability to operate at speed and scale while maintaining control may well become the defining strategy of the next generation of supply chains.If the past decade is any indication, UI is most likely to maintain its trajectory. Just like what its model suggests— the “hardest 20%” of challenges may also present the greatest opportunities and that effectively managing this complexness can provide a competitive edge.