"Unilever has shelved plans to run a sales process for its €15bn ice-cream division to private equity groups and will instead focus on a push to spin-off the unit in an independent listing. The consumer goods group announced in March that it would split off its ice-cream business, and it attempted to drum up interest from buyout groups for the division, which includes brands such as Ben & Jerry's, Magnum and Wall's. However, the division's large size and complicated supply chain were among factors that led private equity firms to cool their interest on a potential deal, according to people familiar with the matter. The people cautioned that a bidder could still emerge. "