Introduction
When you spread margarine on your toast in the 1930s, you were quite literally eating whale.
Most people today think of Unilever as the multinational giant behind household brands like Dove, Hellmann’s, and Ben & Jerry’s. But during the 1930s, the company held a far more controversial distinction: it was the world’s largest purchaser of whale oil, commanding such volume that it influenced global whaling policies and international trade.
The Birth of a Fat Empire
The story begins in 1929 with one of Europe’s most significant industrial consolidations. British soap-maker Lever Brothers merged with Dutch margarine manufacturer Margarine Unie to create Unilever, an event described as “one of the biggest industrial amalgamations in European history.” This newly formed business colossus didn’t just dominate soap and margarine, it earned the nickname “the fat trust” for its unrivalled buying power.
By the mid-1930s, Unilever’s appetite for whale oil was astonishing. The company bought up all of Norway’s whale oil output and sent it to its margarine factories, mainly in Germany. As historian Dr. Phoebe Epstein puts it, “Unilever became ‘the world’s largest purchaser of oils and fats,’” and by 1935, a remarkable 84 percent of the world’s whale oil was being turned directly into margarine, almost all of it for Unilever.
By the mid-1930s, Unilever’s appetite for whale oil was astonishing. The company bought up all of Norway’s whale oil output and sent it to its margarine factories, mainly in Germany. As historian Dr. Phoebe Epstein puts it, “Unilever became ‘the world’s largest purchaser of oils and fats,’” and by 1935, a remarkable 84 percent of the world’s whale oil was being turned directly into margarine, almost all of it for Unilever.
A National Security Commodity
Unilever’s dominance was so complete that governments took notice. In 1938, the British government declared whale oil a “national defence” commodity, recognising its critical role in feeding the nation in the event of war. One source reports Unilever had become “practically the only customer of Norwegian seal and whale oil,” giving it dominance over global whaling markets. Parliamentary records and academic research confirm Unilever’s buying decisions could make or break entire national economies dependent on whaling.
And the numbers were staggering: Unilever processed two-thirds of all whale oil imported to Germany by 1932, and could “make or break the price of whale oil” worldwide.
The Unlikely Ingredient
For consumers, whale oil in margarine was uncontroversial. At the time, whale oil—odourless, tasteless, and with excellent keeping qualities—was a plentiful, inexpensive fat source, ideal for making margarine more spreadable. Thanks to the Testrup hydrogenation patent, which Unilever acquired in 1912, whale oil could be turned from its liquid state into the perfect solid fat for food products.
The irony is remarkable: whilst modern margarine is marketed as a plant-based, environmentally conscious alternative to butter, it was once utterly dependent on the world’s largest mammals. Each tub linked the average consumer’s breakfast table to the enormous European whaling fleets.
The End of an Era
After the Second World War, the whale oil empire swiftly crumbled. Several factors contributed:
- Rising ethical concerns about whaling as conservation movements grew
- The increasing competitiveness and availability of vegetable oils
- Technological advances that allowed margarine to be produced cheaply without any animal products
The whaling industry itself eventually collapsed, prompting General MacArthur to encourage Japan to buy up surplus whaling ships after the war.
A Hidden History
Today, the story of Unilever’s whale oil is largely forgotten, but it stands as a powerful example of industrial globalisation in the 20th century. A single company’s purchasing decisions could dictate international whaling quotas, shape treaties, and determine the fate of entire maritime communities.
As academic researchers Sandvik and Storli note, “Unilever became the world’s largest purchaser of oils and fats,” giving it influence felt from London to the South Atlantic.
The next time you pick up a Unilever product, consider this hidden chapter in its history—when the world’s largest consumer goods company was quite literally powered by whales.
🎧Listen to Episode 138: Dockside Gold: How Whales Transformed London on the London History Podcast to discover more about this fascinating chapter in the capital’s past.
References
- Atlas Obscura, “Margarine Once Contained a Whole Lot More Whale,” 2021 https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-margarine-made-of
- Royal Examiner, “Margarine was once made with whale oil,” 2018 https://royalexaminer.com/margarine-was-once-made-with-whale-oil/
- FAO, “Sharing the catches of whales in the southern hemisphere,” S.J. Holt https://www.fao.org/4/y2684e/y2684e23.pdf
- Unilever company archives and academic research by Sandvik and Storli https://www.unilever.com/files/origin/3d0982a9cc0a89b9b4834edc8023cb1e54477f4e.pdf/formation-of-unilever-brochure.pdf
- https://www.unilever.com/files/origin/3beaa3f39c4dfe77d782acd9e8810a579f031632.pdf/1931%20Annual%20Report.pdf
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-global-history/article/united-kingdom-and-the-political-economy-of-the-global-oils-and-fats-business-during-the-1930s/5B9E5E03F9106DEBE9BEA2B44CC67A82
- https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/pdf/10.3197/ge.2022.150207?download=true
