Unilever’s ice cream supply chain looks to solve last mile hurdles

LAS VEGAS — Unilever wants to leave no stone unturned when it comes to implementing artificial intelligence throughout its ice cream supply chain, executive Sandeep Desai said during a panel at Manifest 2025 last week.

The CPG giant currently uses AI to analyze weather data to develop more accurate volume forecasts and limit waste, as ice cream demand is influenced by temperature, according to a January news release. It also leverages AI in its freezer cabinets for real-time inventory updates and in its factories for more efficient production.

“We’re trying to integrate it end to end, so all the way from suppliers to the consumer,” said Desai, EVP and chief product supply chain officer for the company’s ice cream business.

But emerging technologies haven’t solved every supply chain challenge for the ice cream supply chain. One area the company is still trying to improve its visibility is in the final mile of delivery, typically from a customer’s distribution center to a freezer, according to Desai. He said the company could gain that additional tracking capability via connected sensors “that can talk directly to the cloud,” but a cost-effective deployment of that technology remains a hurdle.

“If we were transporting diamonds, it’s cheap, the technology is available, it’s there. We can do it,” Desai said. “When you’re transporting ice cream, where every mom and pop be…