Magnum's UK research centre is developing new recipes, including a glow-in-the-dark ice lolly launched in Ibiza that uses naturally luminescent vitamin B2 to glow under club lights. The company, spun off from Unilever last year with a market cap around £8bn, is also fitting some of its three million fridges with cameras that feed AI systems to track stock and improve efficiency.
Analysts say the industry has weathered five years of price volatility from war, pandemic, and now Strait of Hormuz-linked disruption, hitting dairy, flavoring, and cold-chain energy costs. Magnum says its freezers are 40% more efficient than in 2010.
Innovation focus has shifted toward Asia, with flavors like stinky tofu and pickled garlic cited as evidence of experimentation beyond traditional Western options, while protein-fortified ice cream — riding the GLP-1 weight-loss drug trend — has become a premium category, with some US protein bars costing more than double standard frozen treats.
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