Unilever Is Said in Talks to Merge Food Business With McCormick

Unilever Plc, the maker of Hellmann’s mayonnaise, is in talks to sell its food business to McCormick & Co., according to a person familiar with the matter.

A deal between the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods company and the Maryland-based spices and seasonings maker could come together by the end of the month, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information was private. The person said the transaction would be structured as a so-called Reverse Morris Trust, a type of merger that’s designed to be tax-free.