1
 
                                                                 
 
                           OFFER TO PURCHASE FOR CASH
                         ALL OUTSTANDING COMMON SHARES
                                       OF
 
                               UNIVAR CORPORATION
 
                                       AT
                              $19.45 NET PER SHARE
                                       BY
 
                              UC ACQUISITION CORP.
                           AN INDIRECT SUBSIDIARY OF
 
                               ROYAL PAKHOED N.V.
 
           THE OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT 8:00 P.M.,
                  NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON MONDAY, JULY 15, 1996
                           UNLESS OFFER IS EXTENDED.
 
                                                                    June 7, 1996
 
To Brokers, Dealers, Banks,
     Trust Companies and other Nominees:
 
     We have been engaged by UC Acquisition Corp., a Washington corporation
("Buyer"), which is an indirect subsidiary of Royal Pakhoed N.V. (a translation
of Koninklijke Pakhoed N.V.), a publicly held limited liability company formed
and existing under the laws of The Netherlands ("Parent"), to act as Information
Agent in connection with Buyer's offer to purchase all outstanding common
shares, (the "Shares"), of Univar Corporation, a Washington corporation
("Company"), at $19.45 per Share, net to the seller in cash, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in Buyer's Offer to Purchase dated June 7,
1996 (the "Offer to Purchase") and in the related Letter of Transmittal (which,
together with any amendments or supplements thereto, collectively constitute the
"Offer"). Please furnish copies of the enclosed material to those of your
clients for whom you hold Shares registered in your name or in the name of your
nominee.
 
     Enclosed herewith are copies of the following documents:
 
          1. Offer to Purchase, dated June 7, 1996;
 
          2. Letter of Transmittal to be used by shareholders of Company in
     accepting the Offer;
 
          3. A printed form of letter that may be sent to your clients for whose
     account you hold Shares in your name or in the name of a nominee, with
     space provided for obtaining such clients' instructions with regard to the
     Offer;
 
          4. Notice of Guaranteed Delivery;
 
          5. Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on
     Substitute Form W-9;
 
          6. Returned envelope addressed to the Depositary;
 
          7. Schedule 14D-9 of Company; and
 
          8. Letter of Chairman and President of Company to Company
     Shareholders, dated June 7, 1996.
   2
 
     THE OFFER IS CONDITIONED UPON, AMONG OTHER THINGS, (1) THERE BEING VALIDLY
TENDERED AND NOT WITHDRAWN PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION DATE THAT NUMBER OF SHARES
THAT WOULD, WHEN AGGREGATED WITH THE SHARES ALREADY OWNED BY BUYER AND ITS
AFFILIATES, REPRESENT A MAJORITY OF ALL OUTSTANDING SHARES ON THE DATE OF
PURCHASE, AND (2) ALL GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS FOR THE OFFER (AS DEFINED IN THE
OFFER TO PURCHASE) HAVING BEEN OBTAINED OR WAIVED BY PARENT AND BUYER AND
APPLICABLE LAWS COMPLIED WITH.
 
     We urge you to contact your clients promptly. Please note that the Offer
and withdrawal rights will expire at 8:00 p.m., New York City time, on Monday,
July 15, 1996, unless extended.
 
     Neither Buyer nor Parent will pay any fees or commissions to any broker or
dealer or other person (other than the Information Agent as described in the
Offer to Purchase) in connection with the solicitation of tenders of Shares
pursuant to the Offer. You will be reimbursed upon request for customary mailing
and handling expenses incurred by you in forwarding the enclosed offering
materials to your customers.
 
     Additional copies of the enclosed material may be obtained by contacting us
at the respective address and telephone number set forth on the back cover of
the enclosed Offer to Purchase.
 
                                          Very truly yours,
 
                                          D.F. King & Co., Inc.
 
     NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN OR IN THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS SHALL RENDER YOU OR
ANY OTHER PERSON THE AGENT OF BUYER, PARENT, THE DEPOSITARY OR THE INFORMATION
AGENT OR AUTHORIZE YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFER NOT CONTAINED
IN THE OFFER TO PURCHASE OR THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.