Summary
- TMICC outlines a new NPD strategy featuring snacking formats, portion‑controlled Magnum Bonbons and rapid innovation rollouts across key markets including Europe, the US and Asia.
- The company accelerates better‑for‑you and functional ice cream, unveiling hydration ices, high‑protein propositions and GLP‑1‑aligned premium small‑format treats.
- Digital and tech‑enabled innovation takes centre stage, with AI‑powered cabinet forecasting and socially led activations driving growth in e‑commerce and out‑of‑home channels globally.
In its first full-year investor call since splitting from Unilever, The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC) charted a new product development frontier that would excite even the biggest sceptic.
The company – which recorded €7.9bn in FY25 revenue, 4.2% organic sales growth and 1.5% volume growth – is positioning itself both as a category leader and a disruptor.
On one hand, TMICC vies for global market dominance with Nestlé co-owned Froneri thanks to its strong branded portfolio that comprises Magnum, Ben & Jerry’s, Cornetto and others.
On the other hand, the public-listed company demonstrates bold NPD ambitions and a desire to optimise, invest and rebuild as it looks to remain competitive and usher in a new era for ice cream innovation.
Here’s what TMICC is planning to achieve in the next year and beyond.
The pillars of success
TMICC CEO Peter ter Kulve told investors that ice cream “had gotten a little bit stuck in nostalgia and creamy indulgence – and we are clear on the opportunity of bringing modern snacking and refreshment benefits to the category.”
The company has set out on this path already by relaunching most of its core products and investing in better ingredients and formulations. What lies ahead is creating products tailored to distribution channels and occasions; expanding its big brands’ portfolios with premium, trends-led innovations, and reinventing better-for-you ice cream.
“A core pillar of that strategy is winning through skill innovation and premium necessities, not as one-off launches, but as a repeatable growth engine,” Ter Kulve said.
Snacking-led innovation
Snacking-inspired formats are a major theme for TMICC. The company’s mini, bite-sized and snackable ranges are designed for portion control, grazing and casual snacking, making them at home with both weight-conscious consumers and mainstream consumers seeking out moments of permissible indulgence.
These formats are also driving sales and experiencing strong growth. “Magnum outperformed with the launch of [premium stick ice creams] Utopia and Bonbon [mini bites],” Ter Kulve said. “We also moved Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s into bites, and we are extending this to other brands, including Solero and Cornetto.
“Our multi-layer stick architecture [is] now scaling from Asia into Europe to secure a first-mover advantage.”
Indeed, TMICC is innovating at pace: the chief executive hinted at faster NPD cycles, as seen with the development and launch of the Magnum Dubai ice cream, which took just six months from concept to shelf.
Functional benefits
Being in an indulgent food category in this day and age requires agility, and TMICC has charted an impressive product development vision to lure in the modern health-conscious consumer with.
The company is planning to launch a:
- hydration ice cream with electrolytes;
- high-protein propositions, and
- fruit-forward offerings focused on natural and clean-label trends.
And that’s before we talk about its strategy to tap into the weight management trend.
GLP-1-friendly formulations
For consumers managing their weight through GLP-1 medications, TMICC is betting on small, premium and high-quality propositions.
“When on GLP-1, people still treat themselves, and ice cream is a very competitive treat,” CEO Peter ter Kulve said. “The category premiumises, as people choose smaller portions, better quality, and (…) more real fruit and protein.”
The chief executive expects premium categories to dominate, at the expense of less competitively-positioned options. “Consumers using GLP-1s are eliminating low-quality munching categories,” he said. “Categories like premium chocolate, premium ice cream, and protein snacks could gain share.”
Tech-enabled innovation
TMICC is relying on AI for new product development, but that’s far from the only area of digital transformation for the ice cream major.
Freezer cabinets – which the company is using as a lever to increase its global out-of-home share and boost premium ice cream sales – are being leveraged as data-driven visibility tools.
“Our cabinets are like soft drinks chillers. They provide unique advantages that help us maintain and grow market leadership,” Ter Kulve explained. “We began deploying new technology to better forecast out-of-stocks and to spot trends.”
Digital-first activations
To keep its brands relevant, particularly to younger consumers, TMICC is increasingly tapping into digital engagement strategies.
Ter Kulve pointed out how Ben & Jerry’s “unique, socially-led digital model” had been instrumental to achieving growth across the US and Europe as shopping habits shift towards convenience and e-commerce. And socially-driven campaigns are increasingly supporting new product launches, too.
Conclusion
And so, TMICC’s product innovation playbook is rooted in cross-category inspiration, technology-led trendspotting, and a conviction that premium and high-growth formats are where the next wave of category innovation will come from.
