Unilever reportedly frontrunner in beauty contest for Estee Lauder

Consumer goods giant, Unilever, is reportedly the frontrunner in a beauty contest between rival bidders for US outfit Estee Lauder.

According to the Evening Standard, which cited City sources, Unilever was lining up a bid for Estee Lauder, motivated in part by a desire to bulk-up in order to dissuade Kraft Heinz from making another unwanted approach.

Nevertheless, the Anglo-Dutch company, would likely face competition from giants such as L'Oreal as well as 3G and Berkshire Hathaway.

To take note of, the latter two control Kraft.

JAB, the current owner of Rimmel-to-Max Factor group Coty was seen as another possible suitor - although it remained to be seen whether it could muster the necessary financial muscle for it.

In any case, the Estee Lauder family remained a force to be reckoned with by any potential bidder, the same report said, as it still owned 40% of Estee Lauder and almost 90% of the company's voting rights.