Unilever has made a significant move in the ice cream sector with the announcement of a major restructuring on March 20, 2025. The company revealed that it would be splitting off its ice cream business into a newly-formed entity, “The Magnum Ice Cream Company.” This restructuring includes the introduction of a new company logo, which cleverly incorporates the heart-shaped emblem of Wall’s, effectively tying the brand’s legacy to its modern identity and bolstering consumer recognition.
The shift follows recent changes in the ownership of Wall’s (China) Co., Ltd., and the introduction of Magnum Ice Cream Netherlands Holding No. 3 Co., Ltd., which laid the groundwork for the restructuring.
Unilever, a dominant force in the global ice cream industry, derives a substantial portion of its revenue from its four primary brands, including Magnum and Wall’s. These brands account for approximately 84% of the company’s ice cream earnings. Between 2019 and 2024, Unilever’s market share in retail sales surpassed that of the next four competitors combined. In 2024, the company’s ice cream division generated a revenue of 8.3 billion euros. Although China was once one of the top five markets for Unilever’s ice cream products, the company’s leading markets in 2024 shifted to the United States, Türkiye, and other regions.
The split aims to allow Unilever to streamline its focus on core businesses while granting the ice cream division greater flexibility for strategic growth. Due to differences in channel structures and profitability between the ice cream business and other Unilever operations, the independent management of the ice cream division is expected to drive more efficient development for both entities. Unilever plans to complete the separation by the end of 2025, with a public listing of the new company on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange and other platforms.
The newly appointed CEO of the Magnum Ice Cream Company expressed strong support for the split, emphasizing that the move aligns with the interests of shareholders and will enhance the overall performance of the ice cream division. This strategic decision is anticipated to have far-reaching effects on the global ice cream market, with industry experts closely monitoring the developments.
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