Magnum Ice Cream names Accenture, HCL for tech carve-out

The Magnum Ice Cream Company has named Accenture and HCL as lead partners for a new global technology stack as part of its separation from Unilever.

It has also selected Kinaxis, Microsoft, Salesforce and SAP as core software providers in a programme to replace services currently covered by Transitional Services Agreements, which are due to end by 2027.

The project is a major technology carve-out as the business builds its own systems across supply chain, sales, finance, procurement and collaboration functions to operate independently.

Accenture will lead deployment of core enterprise platforms, along with AI, data and cybersecurity systems. HCL will oversee infrastructure rollout and end-user services, intended to provide secure and resilient foundations across the business.

Four software platforms sit at the centre of the new setup. Kinaxis will serve as the supply chain and sales and operations planning hub, Microsoft will provide cloud infrastructure and workplace tools, Salesforce will act as the global customer relationship management platform, and SAP will be the enterprise resource planning system across finance, supply chain and operations.

The platforms will be introduced in waves over the next 18 months, with the rollout focused on change support, business continuity and disciplined delivery ahead of the end of the TSA arrangements.

New backbone

A key part of the programme is the consolidation of multiple ERP instances onto a single global SAP Rise instance, intended to support more consistent planning and reporting.

The roadmap also includes AI-assisted forecasting and weather-based demand insights for supply chain planning. AI is expected to be used selectively in areas where it offers practical value, including forecasting, demand planning, security and cabinet management.

That reflects the particular demands of a global ice cream business, where weather patterns, seasonal peaks and route-to-market complexity can directly affect demand and distribution.

The Magnum Ice Cream Company said it reviewed processes across the business before choosing what it described as simpler, more intuitive systems. The aim is to improve visibility, collaboration and execution over time while supporting more consistent ways of working across markets.

By building a connected set of systems rather than relying on inherited structures, the company is seeking to create a single operating model across commercial operations, finance and supply chain activity.

The work also illustrates how large consumer businesses separating from parent groups often face a broader task than a straightforward IT migration, particularly when they must rebuild shared functions under tight deadlines.

Sandeep Desai, Chief Supply Chain & Operations Officer at The Magnum Ice Cream Company, outlined the significance of the shift in a statement.

"Establishing our own technology stack is a significant milestone, and we have chosen partners with the scale and capability to support us over the long term. As we move forward as an independent business, this roadmap will enable better visibility, planning and decision-making for our teams. This is about more than moving existing processes onto new systems. It is about creating the right digital backbone our people need to make, move and serve ice cream for our customers and consumers around the world," said Sandeep Desai, Chief Supply Chain & Operations Officer at The Magnum Ice Cream Company.

The choice of suppliers points to a model that combines global consulting and outsourcing groups with major software vendors already widely used by multinational companies. For The Magnum Ice Cream Company, the challenge will be integrating those systems while preserving day-to-day operations across markets during the transition away from Unilever support.

The new digital foundations are intended to support planning, decision-making and execution across teams as the business continues the separation process and builds an independent operating structure.