The anglo-dutch giant Unilever has announced its intention to reshuffle its mix of brands and said it had bought the Italian artisanal ice-cream chain Grom, which has ever describes itself as using no flavorings, color, preservatives or emulsifiers. The consumer goods company Unilever has been working to improve margins in its ice cream unit by launching extensions of its Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s ranges and focusing on targeting customers for out-of-home occasions, where they are more likely to spend money on expensive ice cream than when in a supermarket. erms of the deal with Grom have not been disclosed.
The first Grom gelateria was opened by Turin friends Federico Grom and Guido Martinetti in 2003 and today it has 67 outlets worldwide. Unilever said the Grom business “will remain autonomous and will continue to be managed by Federico and Guido from Turin”. Angelo Trocchia, general manager Unilever Italy said: “Unilever has deep roots in Italy, we started our operations here 50 years ago and have a beautiful portfolio of well known and loved brands, as well as four factories and 3,000 employees”.
Kevin Havelock, president refreshment category Unilever added: “Unilever and Grom share the same passion for gelato and have aligned values in areas such as the sustainable sourcing of raw materials. Grom consumers will continue to enjoy the same taste and flavours they have always loved, while Unilever’s scale will give access to new markets, helping Grom to fuel growth”.
