Dutch Asian spice and sauce company Conimex is being sold by Unilever to Finnish company Paulig.

Conimex, founded in 1932, has been part of Unilever since 2000 and the disposal fits in the food to detergent giant’s plans to focus on fewer key brands. Financial details were not disclosed.

International news agency Reuters suggested earlier that Conimex as well as smoked sausage and soup company Unox, and meat replacement group De Vegetarische Slager, were on the disposal list.

Paulig chief executive Rolf Ladau said in a press release that the deal will enable the company to “establish its presence in the Asian food category in the Netherlands”.  

Conimex, Paulig said, “has a brand awareness of 87% in the Netherlands, is recognised for its distinctive yellow packaging, and has become a staple in Dutch households.”

Unilever is also working on plans to sell its ice cream arm, which includes Magnum, Ola and Ben & Jerry’s.

Unilever has already rented an office for the ice cream company in central Amsterdam and the IPO is likely to take place on the Amsterdam stock exchange, the Financieele Dagblad said earlier this month.

Unilever, once an Anglo-Dutch company is now 100% British and based in London, although the food division headquarters is in the Netherlands. The company also has a food research unit in Wageningen, close to the university there.