Yasso’s 17.1% growth precedes its first Canada expansion

By Olivia Hart

Yasso’s sales grew at a 17.1% compound annual growth rate from 2020 through 2025, and The Magnum Ice Cream Company now plans the frozen yogurt bar brand’s first expansion beyond the United States into Canada.

The company supplied the growth rate—a smoothed yearly pace—but did not publish starting sales, ending sales, unit volume or product-level profitability. That leaves distributors and suppliers without a baseline for sizing Canadian demand, even as Yasso prepares its first international launch.

What is entering Canada, and through which channel?

Yasso will debut this month through an exclusive launch with Loblaws, a Canadian supermarket chain:

• Sea salt caramel and chocolate fudge bars.
• Chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge brownie tubs.

The company will launch Yasso across Canada in 2027.

The arrangement places Loblaws at the center of the first retail phase of the rollout. It also concentrates launch execution in one retailer rather than dispersing inventory across several chains. The announcement names no third-party distributor, and without store counts or distribution data, the initial Canadian footprint remains difficult to measure.

For customer economics, Yasso offers low-calorie frozen Greek yogurt treats positioned as protein-forward snacks. The announcement gives no Canadian prices, pack sizes, promotional terms or repeat-purchase evidence. So the trade-off among taste, nutrition and price remains untested.

Magnum also disclosed neither gross margin (revenue left after the cost of goods sold) nor inventory turns (how quickly stock sells and replenishes). It did not disclose Loblaws’ order terms, expected sell-through (the rate at which stores sell stocked units) or promotional support. Those figures matter because a wellness-led launch can generate trial without producing repeat purchases, margin or faster stock movement.

Loblaws supplies the initial route to market, but neither sell-through nor profit is yet disclosed.

Why does Magnum expect wellness demand to travel?

In an email to Food Dive, Gina Kiroff, general manager of Canada at Magnum, called Canada a logical destination for Yasso’s first international expansion. She said the country’s wellness-focused frozen dessert segment was growing three times faster than the broader category.

“Consumers aren’t moving away from indulgence, but their expectations of it are evolving.”

“They’re increasingly looking for snacks that deliver on great taste while fitting into their wellness goals and everyday routines. Yasso brings those needs together with a protein-forward frozen snack that doesn’t compromise on flavour.”

That claim carries more uncertainty than the five-year Yasso growth rate. Kiroff did not identify the segment’s measurement period, data source or definition. So the three-times-faster figure signals company direction rather than independently auditable market share.

Market analysis accompanying the announcement linked yogurt’s growing health halo—a reputation for supporting healthier eating—to increased interest in protein. The analysis singled out consumers taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss as a group showing heightened interest in protein. These trends help explain why Magnum sees a role for wellness-oriented products in frozen snacking. But they do not establish Canadian demand for Yasso.

The wellness case supports positioning, not a forecast of Canadian sales.

What does the Unilever separation change?

Unilever acquired Yasso in 2023 to expand its novelty business with more health-focused options. Novelty products are unconventional frozen formats sold to create variety beyond an established core range. In recent years, Yasso has extended its lineup beyond bars into pints and sandwich formats.

Unilever then spun Magnum off last December. The separated company also owns Breyer’s, Ben & Jerry’s and Talenti, brands positioned as more indulgent than Yasso’s low-calorie Greek yogurt range. Magnum says that portfolio gives it flexibility to take novelty products into new consumption categories and follow consumer trends.

That breadth can spread innovation across several customer missions, from a low-calorie frozen snack to a more indulgent ice cream brand. But the announcement provides no brand-level revenue mix, margins or Canadian investment figures for Yasso. So the claimed flexibility remains a strategic rationale rather than a measured return.

The separation gives Magnum more formats with which to test Yasso abroad, but not a disclosed return.

Will an exclusive launch build a national business?

The staged schedule makes Loblaws the first test of Yasso’s Canadian economics. Its exclusive launch puts the chain at the center of initial distribution and retail execution. The 2027 nationwide rollout then asks whether the brand can add channels and stores without losing demand, pricing discipline and inventory velocity from the launch market.

The announcement does not disclose expected store counts, retail prices, promotional depth, volume targets or sell-through. It also does not say whether Loblaws’ exclusivity covers only the launch window or the full national rollout. Those are material omissions because Loblaws’ bargaining power over terms, and Yasso’s ability to protect gross margin, will shape retailer and supplier economics.

The announcement gives no Canadian pack price, calorie count or protein amount. So shoppers cannot yet compare Yasso’s cost or nutritional proposition with the wider frozen category. Magnum’s claim that Canada can become another consumption category will carry more weight after the company reports Canadian unit volume and repeat rates.

The 2027 Canada-wide rollout will test whether Loblaws can drive repeat purchases and sustained sell-through while Yasso protects margin and inventory turns, the measures needed to scale internationally.