Magnum Partners With NotCo to Use AI for Product Innovation

Magnum, the ice cream brand under Unilever, plans to use Chilean start-up NotCo’s artificial intelligence platform, Giuseppe AI, to reformulate existing products and develop new ones, the company said. The partnership aims to address shifting consumer preferences on portion sizes, sustainability, nutrition, flavors, and ingredients.

“Our partnership with NotCo is helping us explore how AI can accelerate our ability to respond to these shifts, unlocking smarter ways to innovate without compromising the quality and experience people expect from our ice cream brands, as well as expanding beyond traditional boundaries of ice cream,” said Zbigniew Lewicki, Chief Research, Design and Innovation Officer, The Magnum Ice Cream Company.

Magnum plans to use NotCo’s AI to examine calories, create plant-based products, and help manage rising commodity costs. The latter company has partnered with several major food companies in recent years. In 2022, it worked with Kraft Heinz to develop plant-based versions of products including mayonnaise, sliced cheese, Mac & Cheese, and Oscar Mayer hot dogs. 

Matias Muchnick, CEO, NotCo, said that over the last few years, major food makers have used the company’s AI to respond more quickly to changing consumer tastes influenced by movements like Make America Healthy Again and rising raw material costs, such as cocoa. “Companies are using NotCo’s technology to find replacements for synthetic dyes, reduce sugar, and discover the next viral flavor, like Dubai chocolate,” Muchnick said.

Depending on the success of the initial partnership with Magnum, the companies said their collaboration could expand into other markets. Magnum, which also includes Ben & Jerry’s and Cornetto brands, is among more than a dozen consumer goods companies leveraging NotCo’s AI to innovate and reformulate products.

Unilever, based in London, has used AI across its operations to assess shelf life, texture, and taste for various food products, forecast flavor profiles, and analyze consumer preferences. Similarly, other food and beverage companies are increasingly incorporating AI into product development to stay competitive amid evolving consumer tastes. Coca-cola, for example, has deployed it to combat a plant disease affecting orange supply.