What Denali Ingredients does

Denali Ingredients is a Wisconsin-based specialty ingredients manufacturer serving the ice cream, novelty, fluid dairy, bakery, and food service markets. Founded in 2006 when Denali Flavors acquired the former CoolBrands and Eskimo Pie ingredients manufacturing facility in New Berlin, Wisconsin, the company produces baked inclusions (brownies, cheesecake, shortcake, pound cake) via a proprietary continuous oven with two independent temperature zones, over 100 varieties of extruded cookie doughs and bits using cold extrusion with heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs, low-melt flakes and barks, oil- and water-based variegates, liquid flavor bases, stabilizers and texture systems with sweetener blends for keto applications, fruit packs and purées, and eggnog bases.

The company operates from two New Berlin facilities totaling over 200,000 square feet, staffed by 150+ employees including ten dedicated food scientists, and runs a state-of-the-art R&D Innovation Center with pilot-scale HTST and Tetra Pak continuous freezer systems. Business model is direct B2B sales to dairy processors, brands, and retailers through account executives, with custom formulation services gated by 40,000-pound annual minimums and minimum order quantities ranging from 100 pounds (stabilizers) to 5,000 pounds (barks). A Dot Foods distribution partnership extends reach to smaller distributors. In October 2022, the Blume family sold a majority stake to Orkla Food Ingredients (OFI), the ingredients arm of Norway-listed Orkla ASA, marking OFI's first U.S. venture and expanding OFI's Sweet Ingredients area by 45 percent; the Blume family retained an investment portion. Jeremy Thompson became President and CEO in May 2024, succeeding Neal Glaeser who retired after leading the company for over two decades.

Name

Denali Ingredients

Legal name

Denali Ingredients LLC

Website

https://denaliingredients.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Denali Ingredients is a Wisconsin-based B2B manufacturer of specialty ingredients (baked inclusions, cookie doughs, variegates, flavor bases, stabilizers) serving ice cream, dairy, bakery, and food service customers. Majority-owned by Orkla Food Ingredients since 2022.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Ingredients (Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing)

NAICS

Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (311930), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dairy-Based Frozen Novelties Manufacturing (Bars, Sandwiches, Cones) (AFAHAEAG), Specialized Dairy Nutrition Base Powder & Premix Manufacturing (Vitamin/Mineral/Functional Premixes) (AFAHAHAJ)

Keywords

• Ice cream ingredients
• Baked inclusions
• Variegates manufacturing
• Dairy texture systems
• Frozen dessert ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

New Berlin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. B2B Food Ingredient Manufacturing: Denali manufactures custom specialty ingredients for ice cream, novelty, fluid dairy, bakery, and food service markets. Products include inclusions (baked pieces, extruded doughs, flakes and barks), variegates, flavor bases, eggnog bases, stabilizers, and texture systems. Revenue comes from direct product sales to dairy processors, brands, and retailers with typical minimum order requirements.
2. Custom Formulation Services: R&D collaboration and custom formulation development for specific ingredient requirements. Custom formulas require 40,000 pound annual minimums.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Denali Ingredients is a Wisconsin-based specialty food ingredients manufacturer that produces baked inclusions, cookie doughs and bits, flakes and barks, variegates, flavor bases, stabilizers and texture systems, fruit packs and purées, and eggnog bases primarily for ice cream, novelty, fluid dairy, bakery and food service customers. The company combines custom formulation, food-science expertise, and proprietary manufacturing technology (continuous oven, extrusion, random-break flake process) to deliver ingredients to dairy processors, brands, and retailers under minimum-order-quantity commercial contracts.

Product overview

Denali Ingredients is a Wisconsin-based ingredients manufacturer serving the ice cream, novelty, fluid dairy, bakery, and food service markets. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of specialty food ingredients including Baked Inclusions (brownies, cheesecake produced via continuous oven), Cookie Doughs & Bits (100+ extruded dough types), Flakes & Barks (low-melt formulations), Variegates (swirls and sauces in water and oil-based varieties), Flavor Bases (liquid flavorings), Stabilizers & Texture Systems (gum and emulsifier blends), Fruit Packs & Purées, and Eggnog Bases. Products are developed by professional food scientists and delivered through custom formulation and collaborative innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Baked Inclusions Specialty baked inclusions for ice cream and frozen desserts — including brownies, cheesecake, shortcake, pound cake, and blondie pieces — produced via Denali's continuous oven with two temperature zones for consistent quality and reduced clumping compared with traditional rack baking. Targeted at dairy processors, ice cream brands, and bakery manufacturers.
• Cookie Doughs & Bits Cold-extruded cookie doughs and bits (over 100 variants in shapes from 5mm to 2-inch pucks) for ice cream manufacturers using heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs, including chocolate chip, sticky bun, peanut butter, and sugar cookie doughs. Targeted at ice cream and frozen dessert brands.
• Flakes & Barks Low-melt flakes and barks produced in large sheets then randomly broken and screened into 1/4" to 1" pieces, including peppermint bark, chocolate peanut bark, and liquid chip products. Targeted at ice cream manufacturers and frozen dessert brands.
• Variegates Water-based and oil-based variegates (swirls, sauces, spins, revels) including fruits, chocolates, fudges, salted caramel, and textured variegates such as graham cracker swirl that set up firm when frozen. Targeted at ice cream and frozen novelty manufacturers.
• Flavor Bases Liquid flavor bases (brown sugar, cereal milk, coffee, peanut butter, egg custard, sherbet bases, etc.) that disperse evenly into frozen dessert mix for flavor and visual appeal. Targeted at ice cream, sherbet, and frozen dessert manufacturers.
• Stabilizers & Texture Systems Functional blends of stabilizer components (gums, emulsifiers, starches) custom-blended for optimum texture and heat shock protection in frozen desserts, plus sweetener blends for keto and low-calorie products. Targeted at ice cream, fluid dairy, and frozen dessert manufacturers.
• Fruit Packs & Fruit Purées Fruit purées (20-80% fruit content) providing even fruit dispersion and fruit packs with real fruit pieces for enhanced fruit show in finished ice cream. Targeted at ice cream, sherbet, and dairy manufacturers.
• Eggnog Bases Liquid eggnog bases for beverage manufacturing with warm nutmeg and rum notes, meeting the eggnog standard of identity; includes regional favorites and flavored nog options such as pumpkin spice and cinnamon. Targeted at fluid dairy and beverage manufacturers.
• Custom Formulation Services R&D collaboration and custom formulation development for specific ingredient requirements (e.g., new inclusion, variegate, or flavor base formulations), requiring 40,000 pound annual minimums and delivered by Denali's in-house food science team at the New Berlin Innovation Center. Targeted at dairy processors, ice cream and frozen novelty brands, and bakery manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue has tripled since 2006 acquisition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inclusion Technologies: Inclusion Technologies directly competes with Denali in the ice cream inclusion market, producing baked inclusions, candy pieces, and mix-ins for frozen dessert manufacturers across the U.S.
• Pecan Deluxe Candy Company: Pecan Deluxe is a privately held specialty manufacturer of candy and nut-based inclusions for the ice cream, dairy, and bakery industries — overlapping directly with Denali's baked and extruded inclusions product line.
• TCB Systems: TCB Systems supplies flavor systems, variegates, and ingredient solutions to dairy and frozen dessert customers, directly comparable to Denali's flavor base and variegate portfolio.
• Clofine Dairy & Food Products: Clofine Dairy & Food Products manufactures dairy-based ingredients, flavor systems, and specialty functional blends for the food and beverage industry — overlapping with Denali's dairy ingredient and custom formulation business.

Broad incumbents

• Tate & Lyle: Tate & Lyle is a major global ingredients company producing stabilizers, texturants, sweetener systems, and flavor solutions for food and beverage manufacturers, including dairy and frozen dessert customers served by Denali.
• Ingredion Incorporated: Ingredion is a global ingredient solutions provider offering sweetener, starch, and texture systems to food manufacturers — comparable to Denali's texture systems, stabilizer blends, and sweetener blend offerings.
• Kerry Group: Kerry Group is a major taste and nutrition ingredients supplier serving dairy, frozen dessert, and bakery customers worldwide, with overlapping custom formulation and flavor system capabilities to Denali.
• Balchem Corporation: Balchem supplies specialty encapsulated ingredients, functional systems, and protein/mineral nutrients for food, beverage, and nutrition applications — comparable in stabilizer and ingredient systems used in dairy and frozen desserts.
• Palsgaard: Palsgaard (a Corbion subsidiary) specializes in emulsifiers, stabilizers, and functional blends for ice cream and dairy applications, directly comparable to Denali's texture systems and stabilizer product lines.
• Corbion: Corbion is a global ingredient company providing food preservation, emulsifiers, and functional blends — addressing the same ice cream and dairy ingredient markets as Denali through its Palsgaard subsidiary.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@denaliingredients
• Facebookfacebook.com/denaliingredients
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/denaliingredients

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Denali Ingredients