Ice-cream giant Magnum is planning to invest £50m upgrading its factory in Gloucester, it has announced.
The cash injection will be used to boost production and modernise the plant, which makes products including Viennetta and Cornetto, the company said on Monday.
The upgrade includes a complete rebuild of the factory’s mix plant and the installation of advanced blending systems as well as new high-speed production lines for products including Twister and Solero.
The investment is the latest in a series of site improvements being made by the world's largest ice-cream company as part of a €350-380m supply chain transformation programme.
Peter ter Kulve, chief executive of The Magnum Ice Cream Company, said the investment was "a bold step forward" for the business.
"Our investment is a clear signal of our long-term commitment to the Ƶ and will not only boost productivity and support growth but also ensure the site remains a centre of excellence for innovation, quality, and sustainability as we enter our next chapter," he said.
Founded in 1959, the Gloucester site is the second-largest ice cream factory in Europe (behind Heppenheim, Germany) and employs nearly 500 people.
Every week, Gloucester produces nearly three million Calippos and two million Viennettas, in addition to one million Ben & Jerry’s tubs. The site team also holds the record for the world’s longest Viennetta, which was made during a community challenge in 2007 and measured 22.7 metres.
The announcement comes as Unilever prepares to spin off its ice-cream business.
Jamie Farrell, head of country for the Magnum Ice Cream Company Ƶ&I, said: "As we prepare to launch the Magnum Ice Cream Company as a standalone business, this investment reflects our ambition to grow, innovate, and continue delighting consumers in the Ƶ and beyond through our much-loved brands.
"Gloucester will play a central role in that journey, and we are proud to be investing in its future."
Alex McIntyre, Labour MP for Gloucester, said: “It was an incredibly proud moment for me when I got to celebrate Gloucester as the birthplace of Viennetta in my maiden speech to Parliament, and I’m pleased to see a commitment to continuing innovation in our city. Wall’s is a Gloucester institution, so it’s great to see the Magnum Ice Cream Company investing in the future of ice cream production in our city.”
Last month, bosses at Unilever said the company was still on track to complete the demerger of its ice cream business by the end of the year.
