The Colman's of Norwich brand will continue to be managed in the UK, parent company Unilever announced last night as it revealed plans to transfer control of 14 other household names to a new operation in the Netherlands.

The Colman's of Norwich brand will continue to be managed in the UK, parent company Unilever announced last night as it revealed plans to transfer control of 14 other household names to a new operation in the Netherlands.

Unilever is to set up a separate arm in Rotterdam to manage the likes of Bovril, Marmite, Peperami and Pot Noodle - a move which sparked speculation the company is preparing to sell those brands.

There were also City rumours that Premier Foods would be the front-runner to acquire any brands sold by Unilever.

Premier is the country's biggest food manufacturer - owning brands like Mr Kipling, Quorn, Oxo and Hovis - and employs about 2,000 people in East Anglia, with factories at Wisbech, Long Sutton and Bury.

Last night, a Unilever spokesman said: “Project Chrysalis is simply an initiative whereby we are managing some of our brands in a different way to maximise value. Colman's is not among those brands and will continue to be part of the mainstream Unilever portfolio in the UK.”

Founded by Jeremiah Colman in 1814, Colman's of Norwich is the oldest brand in the Anglo-Dutch Unilever group and has about 250 employees at its Carrow Works site, producing mustard, sauces, packet mixes and other food products.