Unilever enters UK confectionery market with Kinnerton licensing deal

By Oliver Nieburg

- Last updated on GMT

Unilever licences Magnum chocolate countlines to Kinnerton
Unilever licences Magnum chocolate countlines to Kinnerton

Related tags Unilever Kraft foods

Unilever has made its first foray into the UK confectionery market after reaching a licensing deal with Kinnerton Confectionery for ice cream brands Magnum, Cornetto and Mini Milk to be made in chocolate form.

Consumer goods firm Unilever, renowned for brands such as Marmite, Lynx and Dove soap, were previously tipped as a bidder for Cadbury in 2009 by analysts, but the Kinnerton deal marks its first move into confectionery in the UK, after Cadbury was snapped up by Kraft Foods (now Mondelez).

Magnum, Cornetto and Mini Milk chocolates

Magnum, the UK’s leading ice cream brand according to IRI Data, will now be made in a chocolate countline using Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa.

Wall’s Mini Milk and filled cone brand Cornetto will also have their own chocolate versions, entering the £692m ($1bn) UK chocolate countline category.

Calories and Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) appear front of pack on both the Magnum and Mini Milk products.

Julie McCleave, head of licensing at Unilever UK, said: “As the UK’s largest Ice Cream manufacturer, with market leading brands boasting strong taste credentials, we’re well placed to enter into the Chocolate Count Line category.”

“By offering consumers confectionery from brands they trust, along with the clear and comprehensive strategies that Kinnerton has presented to us, we’re confident that the launch will capitalize on the growth in this market”.

corentto and mini milk unilever
Ice cream free chocolate versions of Mini Milk and Cornetto

Kinnerton and Zertus

Novelty confectionery firm Kinnerton holds licenses for many character-based confectionery items such as The Simpsons and Hello Kitty.

The company is part of Zetar, which was acquired by German firm Zertus for £43m($69m) in October last year.

Before the company was sold, Zetar last year entered a licensing agreement with Unilever to make Marmite branded nuts.

Related topics Manufacturers Chocolate

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3 comments

Cornetto

Posted by Silvia,

VERY VERY SIMILAR to Messori Conosnack, that italian company Messori produces since 2007 with real chocolate and real hazelnut cream...

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Very nice chocolate

Posted by Pamela,

Just tried the new magnum and cornetto chocolates. Very nice and taste like the ice cream without the coldness...

I definately recommend these.

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Really nice chocolate

Posted by Carole Darling,

Just tried the magnum three chocolates and we were pleasently surprised. Very true to the Magnum flavour and the chocolate was crisp and smooth. Will definitely buy again and highly recommend.

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