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Magnum to list in Amsterdam on December 8

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Bets on position as an ice-cream pure play

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Optimistic about demand despite increasingly

health-conscious

consumers

By Alexander Marrow

GLOUCESTER, England, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Unilever's ( UL )

ice cream business is gearing up for its

multi-billion-dollar spin-off next month, ready to tackle

challenges from logistics to the rising popularity of weight

loss drugs when it goes solo, its supply chain head said.

The Magnum Ice Cream Company's December 8 listing in

Amsterdam will test investor appetite for a sugar-heavy product

at a time when GLP-1 weight loss drugs have shaken up consumer

trends and U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing a 'Make

America Healthy Again' campaign.

It is positioning itself as an ice cream-focused business and

betting on the allure of "indulgent" snacks consumers still

crave, including its Magnum ice creams, as well as brands like

Solero, Viennetta and Ben & Jerry's ( UL ).

"We are focused on ice cream and ice cream only," Sandeep

Desai, Magnum's chief supply chain officer, told Reuters ahead

of the company unveiling of a 50 million pound ($66 million)

investment at its factory in Gloucester, West England.

"Everyone wakes up thinking, how can I make more ice cream?

How can I sell more ice cream? And that gives a very different

level of focus."

MAGNUM TACKLING WEIGHT-LOSS DRUG CHALLENGE

Magnum acknowledges that GLP-1 drugs may affect its

business, but is optimistic about long-term demand for its

products.

"Whilst GLP-1 is not a factor we can ignore, (ice cream) is

still always an indulgent snack," Desai said.

Magnum is, however, adding products more focused on

hydration and protein, Desai said. Jamie Farrell, the company's

head of UK & Ireland, pointed to lower-sugar options and smaller

portions Magnum has already developed.

"We see it as a challenge," Farrell said when asked about

the growing prevalence of weight-loss drugs. "Can we create...

more new products that move with the times?"

MAGNUM SHRUGS OFF TARIFF IMPACT

The Gloucester plant investment, part of a 350-380 million euro

($403-438 million) programme to revamp the company's supply

chain as it splits from Unilever ( UL ) - will increase capacity in

2027 by 50% from 2023 levels. The factory currently produces 600

million ice creams a year.

The ice cream-only focus increases Magnum's exposure to

cacao bean and sugar price fluctuations but allows it to tailor

commodities hedging and risk management strategies to the

business, Desai said.

Magnum has flagged that new trade restrictions could

disrupt its supply chain and raise its costs, but Desai said

producing ice creams locally in the United States had largely

shielded the company from the impact of U.S. tariffs on imports.

"There was a slight impact... When people were talking

hundreds and hundreds of millions... our impact was more in the

tens of millions," Desai said.

($1 = 0.8678 euros)

($1 = 0.7630 pounds)

(Reporting by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Emelia

Sithole-Matarise)