Glaces des Alpes

What Glaces des Alpes does

Glaces des Alpes is a French artisanal ice cream and sorbet producer founded in 1988 in Annecy and now headquartered in Allonzier-la-Caille, France. The company manufactures more than 180 flavours across five product lines (artisanal ice creams, fruit sorbets, gourmet specialties, terroir/gastronomy creations, and individual petits pots), plus frozen cakes and pastries. Production is built on traditional artisanal methods executed by experienced pastry chefs at every station, with a mandatory 24-hour maturation cycle and premium ingredient sourcing (Valrhona, Boiron, Échiré, AOC-protected regional products).

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model: a B2B distribution network serves restaurants, hotels, and professional caterers across France with exclusive products positioned as not available in supermarkets, supplemented by a direct-to-consumer retail boutique at the manufacturing site. The company holds the Maître Artisan Glacier title (awarded 2001) and has been the exclusive ice cream partner of the Association Française des Maîtres Restaurateurs since 2012, with visible recipe collaborations from multiple Michelin-starred chefs. Revenue mechanics are transactional (one-time B2B and retail sales); pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated via a dedicated commercial email channel. The company is privately held as a SAS, was acquired by its current owners in 2005, and has no disclosed funding, M&A, or external institutional investment.

Name

Glaces des Alpes

Legal name

SAS Glaces des Alpes

Website

https://glacesdesalpes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing (311813)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pastry, Cakes & Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAFAB), Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA)

Keywords

• Artisanal ice cream
• Professional catering desserts
• Sorbets and frozen desserts
• Gastronomy ice cream
• Frozen pastry production

Headquarters

HQ city

Allonzier-la-caille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B Professional Catering Sales: Sale of premium artisanal ice creams and sorbets to professional caterers, restaurants, and hotels (horeca sector). Products target exclusive original offerings not available in supermarkets for professional kitchens.
2. Direct Retail Sales: Direct sale of ice creams, sorbets, frozen pastries, and frozen desserts to individual consumers through the on-site boutique at the manufacturing location in Allonzier la Caille.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Glaces des Alpes manufactures and distributes a range of more than 180 artisanal ice cream flavors, sorbets, and frozen specialties for professional catering buyers (restaurateurs, traiteurs, horeca, and collectivités). It also sells a selection of its products directly to individual consumers through its on-site boutique in Allonzier-la-Caille.

Product overview

Glaces des Alpes is a French artisanal ice cream producer founded in 1988, operating as a Maître Artisan Glacier. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of ice cream and sorbet products organized into five main categories: Glaces artisanales (artisanal ice creams with over 100 varieties), Les Sorbets (fruit sorbets with 50+ flavours including 'plein fruit' options), Spécialités (gourmet specialty products including frozen log gutters, vacherin discs, and soufflés), Terroirs et Gastronomie (regional and gastronomic flavours featuring French terroir ingredients like AOC cheeses, wines, and specialty ingredients), and Petits pots (individual portion ice creams). The company also produces frozen cakes and pastries. Products are manufactured using traditional artisanal methods with experienced pastry chefs and a minimum 24-hour maturation period. The company serves professional caterers and direct-to-consumer markets with over 180 total flavours available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Glaces artisanales (Artisanal ice creams) Artisanal French ice creams produced under Maitre Artisan Glacier expertise, sold to professional caterers and individual consumers as part of the company's 180+ flavor range.
• Sorbets plein fruit Fruit sorbets produced as part of Glaces des Alpes' range of frozen desserts for professional catering and retail buyers.
• Spécialités glacées (Frozen specialties) Specialty frozen dessert creations developed for professional food service menus, complementing the standard ice cream and sorbet range.
• Terroirs et Gastronomie Gastronomy-grade and terroir-inspired flavors developed to meet the expectations of certified Maitres Restaurateurs and high-end professional kitchens.
• Petits pots (Mini pots) Single-serve mini pot format of artisanal ice creams and sorbets designed for professional catering portions and individual retail consumption.
• Gâteaux et entremets glacés (Frozen cakes and pastries) Whole frozen cakes and entremets produced for professional catering events and direct retail purchase, complementing the individual ice cream and sorbet formats.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association Française des Maitres RestaurateurscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2012, Glaces des Alpes has been the exclusive ice cream partner for the Association Française des Maitres Restaurateurs, representing professional restaurateurs committed to quality culinary standards. This partnership validates the company's positioning in the premium professional catering segment.
• Chef Stéphane VindretcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster Ice Cream Pastry Chef and company co-founder who creates the flavour profiles and oversees production quality. His expertise and title as Maitre Artisan Glacier are central to the brand's identity.
• Chefs of Le coin des chefsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnerships with renowned French chefs including Yoann Conte (2 Michelin stars), Pierre Reboul (1 Michelin star), Gilles Tournadre, Laurent Petit, Marc Meurin, and Jean Marc Banzo who create and share recipes featuring Glaces des Alpes products, providing culinary endorsement and content marketing.
• Premium Ingredient SupplierscoreOthersStrategic supplier partnerships with premium ingredient brands including Valrhona (chocolate), Boiron (fruits), Echiré (butter), Maison Armorine, Capfruit, Ravifruit, Porto Cruz, Griottines, and regional producers for AOC-protected products like piment d'Espelette. These supplier relationships enable the production of premium-quality artisanal ice creams.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thiriet: Thiriet is a major French frozen food specialist offering ice creams, sorbets, and frozen pastries to both retail and foodservice customers. It is the closest scaled French competitor serving the same horeca and retail channels Glaces des Alpes targets, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• La Maison Fossier: La Maison Fossier is a long-established French artisanal confectioner producing biscuits and specialty sweets. It shares Glaces des Alpes' positioning as a heritage French artisanal producer with B2B distribution to professional foodservice and retail customers.
• Philippe Faur Glaces & Chocolat: Philippe Faur is a French artisanal ice cream and chocolate producer based in Aix-en-Provence serving restaurants and gourmet retail. It is directly comparable as a French craft ice cream maker competing for the same horeca customers with a similar terroir-driven flavour range.
• Alain Chartier - Glacier de l'Opéra: Alain Chartier runs the Glacier de l'Opéra and other French artisanal ice cream shops producing high-end sorbets and ice creams. It competes for the same premium chef and retail customers with comparable artisanal positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Häagen-Dazs (Nestlé): Häagen-Dazs, owned by Nestlé, is a global premium ice cream brand with extensive foodservice and retail distribution. It competes in the same premium ice cream category as Glaces des Alpes but at much greater scale and with mass-market positioning.
• Carte d'Or (Unilever): Carte d'Or is Unilever's premium ice cream brand widely distributed through French foodservice and retail channels. It targets similar professional and consumer use cases as Glaces des Alpes but competes primarily on accessibility and price rather than artisanal craft.
• R&R Ice Cream (Frontier): R&R Ice Cream, now part of Frontier, is one of Europe's largest private-label and branded ice cream manufacturers. It is comparable as a B2B ice cream manufacturer supplying retailers and foodservice, though at much larger scale than Glaces des Alpes.
• Nestlé Professional: Nestlé Professional is the foodservice division supplying ice cream, desserts, and beverages to out-of-home catering globally. It directly competes with Glaces des Alpes in the French horeca ice cream segment via brands such as Mövenpick and Nestlé premium lines.

Others

• Valrhona: Valrhona is a premium French chocolate supplier used by Glaces des Alpes for chocolate-based ice creams and sorbets. It is comparable as a French premium ingredient ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but operates in adjacent premium food manufacturing.
• Boiron Frères: Boiron Frères is a leading French supplier of premium fruit purées and preparations used by Glaces des Alpes for its fruit sorbets. It is an ingredient supplier and ecosystem participant rather than a competitor, but operates in the same premium French food production space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/glaces_des_alpes
• Facebookfacebook.com/GlacesDesAlpes.Officiel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glaces-des-alpes-officiel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Glaces des Alpes