Trying to convince three-quarters of the world's population to eat more ice cream might sound like an easy task. But as Unilever Ice Cream vice-president of brand development J V Raman points out, the territories under his command -- Asia and Africa -- remain unconvinced of the benefits of the sweet stuff, and the evidence is plain to see. Per annum consumption of ice cream is less than one litre per person in Asia, paling in comparison to the 22-plus litres each American wolfs down every year, on average.
It is this disconnect that Raman must address, as he assumes his new Shanghai-based role after heading Unilever's ice cream business in Malaysia for the past three years. In that country, he says, the challenge was much the same; growing a category and effectively navigating the increasing focus on health and wellness among consumers. While exact figures are unavailable, Raman is confident his work in Malaysia grew the category, resulting in a fundamental shift in the market. He points to three specific launches as being key in this regard: transparent take-home tubs, Wall's Twister, and Wall's Mini.
The last product -- Wall's Mini -- perhaps best reflects product innovation in a changing environment. The product aimed to satisfy consumers who felt guilty about a large portion, hence the reduced size.
As Raman explains, the health and wellness trend need not put Unilever at a disadvantage, "as long as you are able to have your products satisfy what the consumer is seeking". "A lot people do not know there is milk protein in ice cream," adds Raman. "In Scandinavia, mothers sometimes give their children ice cream instead of milk."
The other key learning that Raman is taking is one he has been honing throughout his 16-year career with Unilever, which began when he joined Hindustan Lever as a postgraduate. It is the importance of the internal team in delivering strong external results. "When you work with a very diverse set of people, you get a better understanding of culture. Malaysia is a good representation of various backgrounds," he says. "The...challenge is being aligned in different categories and different areas. You have to harness and get the best out of a diverse team, so that you are able to align them towards a common goal."
In this regard, adds Raman, internal communication becomes a crucial factor, unsurprisingly, given the diversity of markets that he oversees. "If you are able to articulate things to people in a simple way and get buy-in, then it's much easier to get things done," he points out. "There has to be good transparent direct communications, you have to empathise with people and see things from their perspective." Ultimately, these beliefs stem from Raman's advocacy of what he refers to as "the two Bs" -- brands and brains. "I've been a great proponent that there only two key assets in any organisation -- brands and brains," he explains. "At the end of the day, consumers buy brands, and brains are the people who are going to nurture these brands." In addition to Malaysia, Raman's career at Unilever includes ice cream experience in India and the UK. Significantly, he has witnessed firsthand the fragmentation of media and the ensuing competition for, in his words, "share of wallet".
In his view, it is marketers that must lead if ice cream is to ever truly become a food of choice for Asians. "That's where insight comes in," he notes. "We have to be thought and action leaders, being able to come out with mixes and solutions that are far superior to what's in the market."
