Itaberco

What Itaberco does

Itaberco, Inc. is a family-owned, Maryland-domiciled manufacturer of shelf-stable dessert and beverage ingredients founded in 1994 by Boris and Berj Ghazarian, with corporate pastry chef Steve Konopelski leading an in-house R&D team of food scientists and beverage specialists. The company produces a catalog spanning seven primary categories — gelato and ice cream mixes, soft serve mixes, frozen yogurt mixes, baking and pastry mixes, 70+ flavor compounds, fruit fillings and toppings, and beverage syrups/cocoa mixes — plus the Blackbird sub-brand launched in 2010 for specialty frozen and batch cocktails. All products are dry, shelf-stable formulations manufactured at the company's SQF-certified Stevensville, MD facility (acquired and constructed in 2015) and require only the addition of water, dairy, or flavor compounds at the customer site, simplifying operator storage and labor.

The business model is B2B ingredient supply sold quote-based through two channels: an authorized regional distributor network covering North America with 1-3 business day fulfillment, and direct sales engagement for out-of-network accounts. Revenue streams include one-time mix/ingredient sales, professional-services-style custom product development with low minimum order quantities, and private label/co-manufacturing licensing for CPG brands. Primary customers are SMB foodservice operators (pizzerias, cafés, dessert bars), professional pastry chefs and bakeries, craft brewers and cideries, and secondarily food manufacturers seeking private label production. Go-to-market combines distributor enablement (training, demos, sales tools), direct sales with sampling and test-kitchen consultations, and an active trade show presence across Craft Brewers Conference, Pizza Expo, ConeCon, and IBIE, supplemented by content marketing (YouTube, recipe handbooks, blog) and a corporate-chef consultation program.

Operational certifications include SQF (Safe Quality Food), Kosher across the full product line, and TTB certification for alcoholic beverage applications. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding, no public listing, and no parent company structure; the name itself encodes its heritage (Ita-Italy, Ber-Beri, Co-company). Geographic scope is primarily the United States with case-by-case international shipping inquiries handled on request.

Name

Itaberco

Legal name

Itaberco, Inc

Website

https://itaberco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Itaberco is a family-owned Maryland manufacturer of shelf-stable gelato, soft serve, frozen yogurt, pastry, and flavor-compound ingredients sold B2B through distributors and direct sales to foodservice operators, pastry chefs, craft brewers, and private-label brands across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice dessert and beverage ingredient manufacturing

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (311930), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Bakery Products (2050), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Baking & Dessert Mixes (Brownie, Cookie Mixes, Frosting) (CRADABAN), Baking Ingredients & Desserts (Flour, Mixes, Frosting, Gelatin) (CRADAAAD), Hydrocolloids, Thickeners & Gelling Agents (Pectin, Xanthan, Carrageenan, Gelatin) (CRADAOAD), Coffee & Tea Concentrates, Syrups & Extracts (CRADAHAI)

Keywords

• Foodservice ingredient manufacturing
• Gelato and ice cream mixes
• Soft serve mix production
• Flavor compound formulation
• Private label dessert manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Stevensville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ingredient and Mix Sales: B2B sales of shelf-stable dessert and beverage ingredients including gelato/ice cream mixes, soft serve mixes, pastry mixes, flavor compounds, fruit fillings, toppings, sauces, and beverage syrups to foodservice professionals and manufacturers.
2. Custom Product Development: Custom flavor compounds, dessert mixes, and baking bases developed in partnership with customers. Involves R&D collaboration, sampling, and refinement phases with production and delivery timelines.
3. Private Label Manufacturing: Private labeling and co-manufacturing services for brands and operators looking to bring unique products to market under their own branding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Itaberco manufactures and sells shelf-stable dessert and beverage ingredient mixes, flavor compounds, fruit fillings, toppings, sauces, and frozen dessert stabilizers to foodservice professionals. Its portfolio covers gelato, sorbet, ice cream and soft serve mixes, frozen yogurt, baking and pastry premixes, beverage syrups, and the Blackbird specialty cocktail line, with custom R&D and private-label/co-manufacturing services supporting operators, chefs, craft brewers, and CPG brands primarily across North America.

Product overview

Itaberco is a family-owned manufacturer of premium dessert and beverage ingredients offering a comprehensive portfolio of shelf-stable products for the specialty dessert and beverage industry. The product line centers around seven core categories: (1) Gelato & Ice Cream Mixes including Legacy 100/400 bases for gelato, sorbet, and ice cream plus the Core Frozen Dessert Stabilizer; (2) Soft Serve Mixes featuring Neutral, Vanilla, Chocolate, Sorbet, Dairy Alternative, Açaí, and Custard varieties (SSI-74 through SSI-78, AM-200, SSC-01); (3) Frozen Yogurt Mixes in Neutral, Tart, and Dairy-Free options; (4) Baking & Pastry Mixes for Custard, Panna Cotta, Pastry Cream, Mousse, and Sponge Cake; (5) Flavor Compounds offering 70+ varieties for diverse applications; (6) Fruit Fillings, Glazes, Toppings & Sauces; and (7) Beverage products including Hot Cocoa Mix, Premium Syrups, and the Blackbird cocktail brand. Products are designed for foodservice professionals, pastry chefs, and manufacturers seeking clean-label, consistent ingredients that require only the addition of water, dairy, or flavor compounds to create premium frozen desserts, pastries, and beverages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blackbird: Specialty beverage brand launched by Itaberco in 2010, focusing on frozen and batch cocktails for the specialty beverage industry.

Products and services

• Gelato Mix - Legacy 400 A versatile complete mix for crafting gelato or ice cream, requiring only the addition of dairy and flavor compounds; sold to gelato artisans, ice cream makers, and foodservice operators.
• Gelato Mix - Legacy 100 A concentrated milk base mix (BL-100-L) offering experienced gelato artisans a customizable approach with flexibility in balancing sweetness and texture.
• Sorbet Mix - Legacy 100 A consistent yet customizable sorbet mix (BF-100-L) foundation for crafting authentic sorbetto with adjustable sweetness and texture.
• Sorbet Mix - Legacy 400 A versatile sorbet mix (BF-400-L) requiring only water, puree, and flavor compounds; can be transformed into creamy vegan gelato with a dairy alternative milk.
• Waffle Cone Mix A dry premix (CON-100) for making waffle cones to enjoy with ice cream, soft serve, or gelato.
• Itaberco CORE Frozen Dessert Stabilizer Professional-grade neutral stabilizer base (ST-5) sold in 4 x 600g jars that improves texture, consistency, and melt control in ice cream, gelato, sorbetto, and frozen novelties while reducing ice crystals.
• Soft Serve Mix Neutral A shelf-stable soft serve mix (SSI-74) with clean flavor and light dairy notes for building creative flavored soft serves; Itaberco's most popular soft serve mix.
• Soft Serve Mix Vanilla A premium vanilla soft serve mix (SSI-75) developed with Madagascar vanilla flavor profile and vanilla bean seeds.
• Soft Serve Mix Chocolate A ready-to-mix chocolate soft serve base (SSI-76) with a darker chocolate profile.
• Soft Serve Sorbet Mix A vegan-friendly soft serve sorbet mix (SSI-77-DF) containing stabilizer blends for developing unique fruit-flavored soft serves.
• Dairy Alternative Soft Serve Mix A vegan-friendly dairy alternative soft serve mix (SSI-78) emulating the creamy, smooth taste and texture of a dairy counterpart for cream-flavored dairy-free soft serves.
• Açaí Soft Serve Mix A shelf-stable dry premix (AM-200) for nutrient-dense açaí bowls and soft serve applications, containing antioxidants and baobab fruit.
• Soft Serve Custard Neutral Mix A traditional American-custard-profile soft serve mix (SSC-01) with neutral custard flavor that can be enhanced with various flavors.
• Frozen Yogurt Mix Neutral A premium frozen yogurt mix with probiotics and prebiotics for healthy and delicious treats with superior taste and texture.
• Frozen Yogurt Mix Tart A premium tart-flavored frozen yogurt mix with probiotics and prebiotics for healthy and delicious treats.
• Dairy-Free Frozen Yogurt Mix Neutral A dairy-free frozen yogurt mix with probiotics and prebiotics for healthy non-dairy frozen dessert options.
• Custard Mix A hot process powder base (PS-404) for making traditional Crème Brûlée, custard, pots de crème, and cremeux with rich silky texture.
• Panna Cotta Mix A hot process powder base (PS-401) for making traditional Italian panna cotta, tarts, cream pies, bread pudding, or pots de crème.
• Pastry Cream (Hot Process) A hot process powder base (PS-418) for silky pastry cream used in tarts, diplomat creams, eclairs, and cake fillings.
• Pastry Cream Mix A cold process powder base (PS-417) for silky pastry cream used in tarts, diplomat creams, eclairs, and cake fillings.
• Pastry Mousse Mix A neutral instant mousse base (PS-420) for creating endless flavors of cakes, entremet, verrines, and semifreddo.
• Sponge Cake Mix A two-step sponge cake mix (PS-430) requiring only water and oil for a classic fluffy sponge with a hint of vanilla, used in verrines, entremets, and layer cakes.
• Flavor Compounds (Full Line) A full line of over 70 shelf-stable flavor compounds that blend fruit purees and natural extracts (Amaretto, Banana, Caramel, Cookie Butter, Espresso, Mango, Pistachio, Pumpkin Spice, Salted Caramel, Strawberry, Ube, Vanilla, and more) for use in frozen desserts, pastries, and beverages.
• Fruit Fillings & Glaze A line of eight fruit fillings with high fruit content, natural flavors and colors, engineered to withstand heat, plus a Neutral Glaze C-24. SKUs include Apple, Apricot, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, Raspberry, and Strawberry for cookies, cheesecakes, tarts, pastries, donuts, and frozen desserts.
• Toppings & Sauces Premium toppings and sauces crafted from fresh fruits and fine ingredients. SKUs include Blueberry, Butterscotch, Chocolate Chip Coating, Chocolate Sauce, Mango, Peanut Butter, Pineapple, Raspberry, Salted Caramel, Sour Cherry, and Strawberry.
• Hot Cocoa Mix A premium hot cocoa blend crafted with high-quality cocoa for a luxurious creamy experience in hospitality and foodservice applications.
• Premium Syrups Premium syrups for infusing rich natural flavor and vibrant color into beverages, including Almond, Caramel, Chocolate, Hazelnut, Mint, Pumpkin Spice, Toffee, and Vanilla Bean varieties.
• Blackbird Itaberco's wholly-owned specialty beverage brand offering superior products for the specialty beverage industry, including craft cocktails and frozen beverage solutions used by foodservice and beverage professionals.
• Custom Product Development Custom flavor compounds, dessert mixes, and baking bases developed in partnership with customers, involving R&D collaboration, sampling, and refinement phases with production and delivery timelines; supported by in-house food scientists and pastry chefs with low minimum order quantities.
• Private Label & Co-Manufacturing Private labeling and co-manufacturing services for brands and operators seeking to bring unique products to market under their own branding, leveraging Itaberco's SQF-certified Maryland manufacturing, R&D, and formulation capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Soft serve programs can generate $5.45 profit per 5oz serving ($6.50 sell price)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ConeCon (Ice Cream Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2026Annual frozen dessert industry event at Palm Springs Convention Center. Itaberco presents at Booths #317+416 with nonstop samples, exclusive flavor previews, and innovation showcases.
• IGF (International Grocery Federation)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2026Partnership for Holiday Prep Baking Bash workshop at IGF Headquarters. Collaborative event featuring recipes built with Itaberco mixes and IGF favorites, including tarts, cupcakes, and seasonal baking.
• CarpigianicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Co-hosted soft serve training workshop at Carpigiani facility in Vernon Hills, IL. Combines Carpigiani's industry-leading soft serve technology with Itaberco's premium mixes and operational expertise.
• Craft Brewers ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Annual participation at America's largest beverage alcohol gathering. Itaberco showcases flavor compounds for beer, cider, seltzers, and specialty beverages with expert sampling, education, and private meeting opportunities at Booth #2609.
• Pizza ExpocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Annual trade show presence for soft serve program promotion. Booth #2719 showcases craft soft serve opportunities for pizza operators, with exclusive promotions from Taylor Machines equipment partner.
• Taylor MachinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive promotion at Pizza Expo for soft serve equipment. Taylor provides commercial frozen beverage freezers while Itaberco supplies premium soft serve mixes and flavor systems for combined solution offering.
• NICRAminorOthersIndustry membership maintaining connection with refrigeration and foodservice equipment community.
• RMIminorOthersIndustry membership for maintaining industry relationships and staying current with trends.
• SFAminorOthersSpecialty Food Association membership for industry engagement and trend awareness.
• IDDBAminorOthersInternational Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association membership connecting with broader bakery and deli industry.
• American Bakers AssociationminorOthersTrade association membership connecting with baking industry professionals and trends.
• Texas Brewers GuildminorOthersRegional membership connecting with Texas craft brewing community for beverage flavor innovation.
• BA AssociationminorOthersBaking industry association membership for professional network and industry intelligence.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PreGel: Italy-founded B2B manufacturer of gelato, sorbetto, pastry, and beverage bases serving foodservice professionals globally. Most direct comparable given shared Italian heritage, gelato focus, and foodservice distribution model.
• Cappuccine: US-based B2B manufacturer of gourmet dessert, beverage, and pastry mixes, flavorings, and toppings for foodservice. Closely comparable product portfolio, customer base, and distribution approach.
• Ricos Products: Foodservice-focused manufacturer of concession and dessert supplies including toppings, sauces, and ice cream cones. Competes in overlapping foodservice and ice cream parlor channels with comparable B2B distribution.
• Hanan Products: Private label and contract manufacturer of frozen desserts, beverage bases, and dessert mixes. Comparable in custom formulation and private label capabilities, with similar B2B foodservice customers.

Broad incumbents

• Ghirardelli: Established foodservice brand for chocolate sauces, toppings, and beverage syrups. Competes directly in Itaberco's toppings/sauces and beverage syrup categories but operates at much larger scale as a broad incumbent.
• Tillamook: Major US dairy and ice cream brand with growing foodservice footprint in frozen dessert mixes. Overlaps in soft serve and ice cream mix categories but operates at substantially larger scale across retail and foodservice.
• Turkey Hill Dairy: Diversified dairy manufacturer supplying ice cream, frozen desserts, and beverages to retail and foodservice. Broad incumbent with overlapping frozen dessert mix and beverage capabilities.
• Cargill: Global food ingredient giant with stabilizer systems, flavor systems, and ingredient blends sold into food manufacturers and foodservice. Represents the larger competitive ceiling against which Itaberco's specialty positioning must hold.

Others

• Carpigiani: World-leading manufacturer of gelato and soft serve equipment; Itaberco's co-marketing partner for soft serve training workshops. Comparable in gelato/soft serve end-customer ecosystem but operates in equipment, not ingredients.
• Taylor Company: Manufacturer of commercial frozen beverage and soft serve equipment; Itaberco's equipment partner at Pizza Expo. Reaches the same pizza operator customer base, with strong cross-sell adjacency into Itaberco's mix business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCE5kaTqG6DRR1DXQPY57qNg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Itaberco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10295120/admin/feed/posts
• Xx.com/itaberco

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Itaberco