Unilever plans to launch an ice cream business in Romania.

Global corporation Unilever has announced it is to launch an ice cream business in Romania, making brands such as Magnum and Carte d’Or widely available in the country for the first time.

The ice cream market in Romania is valued at €160 million (around £142m) and the venture comes as part of Unilever’s growth strategy in South Central Europe. Alongside the launch, Unilever has also agreed to acquire Napoca, a Romanian ice cream brand that was put up for sale by its owners in 2008.

In addition to the Napoca products, other brands on offer include Cornetto and Vienetta, and the company will market all of its products under the Algida name – an Italian trademark that is commonly associated with quality ice cream.

Alexandra Gatej, Chairman of Unilever South Central Europe, said: “The increase in the demand for quality products across all parts of the consumer business makes the ice cream segment extremely attractive. It is an area where we have a great deal of experience and expertise in product innovation as well as product sales, and it will be a valuable addition to our existing businesses. This decision, an important long-term investment for us, underlines our continuing commitment to this region.”

Unilever employs 179,000 people in 100 countries, and has more than 400 brands within its home, personal care and food product categories. According to the organisation, ‘160 million times a day, someone somewhere chooses a Unilever product’.

Unilever plans to begin ice cream deliveries to Romanian retailers in March.