Italian confectionery group Ferrero will launch its first ice cream this April, with a new range under the Kinder brand, which will be available in France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Speaking to French daily Les Echos, the managing director of Ferrero France, Jean-Baptiste Santoul, said that the launch is very important for the company, as the iconic brand accounts for 40% of its turnover in France.
Ferrero has designed the recipe and provides the Kinder brand, while Dutch multinational Unilever will produce the ice cream and will be responsible for marketing the new products.
Initially, the Kinder Bueno Ice Cream Cone, the Kinder Ice Cream Stick, and the Kinder Ice Cream Sandwich will be available, but other varieties will follow in the future.
Growth Plans
Another priority for Ferrero France in 2018 will be its biscuit business, which generates an annual turnover of around €1 billion.
The intention is to boost international sales of premium biscuits from Belgium-based Delacre, which Ferrero acquired in December 2016 from United Biscuits.
The first step in this direction was the launch of Nutella B Ready last year, which provided 60% of the growth in this market in 2017.
Meanwhile, Ferrero should end 2017 with a turnover of more than €14 billion, of which €2 billion comes from acquisitions, according to a forecast published by Corriere della Sera.
Last month, the confectionery company made a significant acquisition, buying Nestlé's US candy division in a $2.8 billion deal.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
