Unilever sales top expectations after summer success of Ben and Jerry’s and Magnum ice-cream

The maker of Magnum ice cream and Dove shampoo reported sales growth on an underlying basis of 5.7 per cent in the three months to end-September, well above the 3.9 per cent analyst estimate.

(Magnum)

Ice-cream is behind soaring sales at Unilever, better known as the world’s largest producer of spreads, or for its toiletries, like Dove and TRESemmé shampoo.

The Anglo-Dutch maker boosted its turnover by 9.4 per cent in the third quarter to €13.4 billion (£9.9 billion) after a strong summer of ice-cream sales from its brands Ben and Jerry’s and Wall’s brand.

In response, Unilever is pushing “innovative” ice-cream, such as Magnum Pink and Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Core range in Europe and North America.

Unilver is also adding to its Lipton and PG tips ranges with fruit, herbal and other speciality teas. Its first tea brewing machine, T.O. by Lipton, described as “Nespresso for tea” has also launched in France in September.

The maker of Magnum ice cream and Dove shampoo reported sales growth on an underlying basis—which strips out the impact of acquisitions, disposals and exchange-rate changes—of 5.7 per cent in the three months to end-September, well above the 3.9 per cent analyst estimate.

(Magnum)

Paul Polman, Uniliver chief executive officer, said sales benefited from a hot summer in Europe.

Following the launch of Dove’s body range, sales of Uniliver personal care items also increased by 6.2 per cent.

"The strong delivery in the third quarter shows that our focus to build our company for the long term is paying off,” Mr Polman said.

Unilever expects underlying sales for the rest of the year to come in towards the upper end of the 2 to 4 per cent range.