Ownership profile
Who owns Seventh Generation?
Seventh Generation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever PLC, a large publicly traded multinational consumer goods corporation; there is no private equity involvement.
Ownership profile
Seventh Generation
Seventh Generation, Inc. (subsidiary of Unilever PLC)
Evidence (8)
PitchBook lists Unilever as the current parent company of Seventh Generation, with ownership status 'Acquired/Merged (Operating Subsidiary)' and financing status 'Formerly VC-backed'.
https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/52920-10Seventh Generation's own website references Unilever's 'Clean Future Strategy,' confirming the ongoing corporate relationship with Unilever as of the investigation date.
https://www.seventhgeneration.com/companySeventh Generation, Inc. is a Vermont-based manufacturer of eco-friendly cleaning, paper, and personal care products, established in 1988.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_Generation_Inc.Unilever PLC shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange (ULVR), Amsterdam Stock Exchange, and traded as ADRs on the New York Stock Exchange (UL) — confirming it is a publicly traded corporation, not a PE fund.
https://www.unilever.com/investors/investor-centre/shares/In 2016, Unilever acquired Seventh Generation for an estimated $700 million, making it a wholly owned operating subsidiary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_Generation_Inc.Unilever signed the acquisition agreement in September 2016; the deal was reported by multiple news outlets including CNN Money, Vermont Business Magazine, and VTDigger.
https://money.cnn.com/2016/09/19/technology/unilever-buying-seventh-generation/index.htmlPrior to the Unilever acquisition, Seventh Generation was formerly VC-backed (per PitchBook), but no PE buyout has ever been identified in public records.
https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/52920-10No divestiture or sale of Seventh Generation by Unilever was found in any 2024–2026 sources; Unilever's Q3 2024 trading statement references other specific disposals (Russia, Qinyuan) but not Seventh Generation.
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000217410/000021741024000045/a9919-q32024tradingstate.htmWhat's uncertain
- No formal SEC EDGAR filing specifically for Seventh Generation, Inc. post-2016 was reviewed; the entity is privately held within Unilever and does not file separately with the SEC.
- PitchBook notes Seventh Generation was 'formerly VC-backed' pre-acquisition, but specific VC investors were not researched for this investigation as the current ownership is clearly Unilever.
- No evidence was found of any Unilever divestiture of Seventh Generation as of July 2026, but Unilever has been streamlining its portfolio; this should be monitored for future changes.
- The acquisition price of ~$700 million was reported by media citing unnamed sources; Unilever never officially disclosed the exact figure.