What Hemglass does

Hemglass i Sverige AB operates Sweden's only nationwide door-to-door ice cream delivery service under the Hemglass brand, founded in 1968 by Eric Ericsson and Anders Gavlevik. The company runs a fleet of approximately 300 branded ice cream vans (Hemglassbilar) that visit around 150,000 fixed sales locations, stopping at 15,000 places each evening. Distribution is executed through roughly 28 sales depots — split roughly evenly between independent franchisees and company-owned subsidiaries — with a central warehouse in Halmstad and headquarters in Stockholm. The operational backbone is a temperature-controlled freezer-van fleet, with sustainability modernization underway via a first electric ice cream van introduced in 2021 and a dedicated Sustainability Manager on the leadership team.

The product range is dominated by frozen multipacks (popsicles, sandwiches, boats, sorbets) plus seasonal novelty launches, with 2024-2026 schedules adding plant-based, lactose-free, and limited-edition SKUs co-developed with established Swedish brands such as Espresso House (Salted Caramel Latte), Delicato (Punschrulle), Butterick's (Blåa Isglassar), and Malacos (Fizzypop Glasspinnar). Revenue is generated from (1) direct-to-consumer van sales, (2) event and corporate rentals of branded vans starting from approximately 1,500 SEK, (3) Click & Collect pre-orders via hemglass.se with a 19 SEK service fee below a 299 SEK threshold and Qliro payment processing, and (4) gift cards in 200 and 500 SEK denominations. Customer engagement is layered through the Glasskompis loyalty program (digital stamps, SMS van-arrival alerts, member pricing) and the Hemglass iOS/Android app, which provides van tracking and digital stamp cards.

Hemglass is privately held by Swedish owner Varsego Sverige AB, which acquired the company from Nestlé in 2014, ending a prior ownership chain of Hexagon (1973), Industri Kapital (1992-1997), and German Schöller (1997). The company employs over 400 people across corporate, depot, and franchise-van roles, holds registered trademarks on the Hemglass name, the Hemglass van design, the iconic Hemglass melody, and the Villgott mascot, and operates only within Sweden after prior exits from Denmark (Hjem-Is, 1976), Norway, and Finland (1993).

Name

Hemglass

Legal name

Hemglass i Sverige AB

Website

https://hemglass.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hemglass i Sverige AB operates Sweden's nationwide door-to-door ice cream delivery service, running approximately 300 branded ice cream vans across 150,000 fixed household locations under a franchise-and-depot model owned by Varsego Sverige AB since 2014.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ice Cream Retail and Home Delivery

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile Dessert Vendors (Ice Cream/Dessert Trucks & Carts) (THAFAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen Foods & Ice Cream Last-Mile Delivery (TLAAAJAI), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAHAC)

Keywords

• Ice cream delivery
• Mobile ice cream retail
• Frozen desserts
• Franchise distribution
• Customer loyalty programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ice Cream Van Retail Sales: Direct-to-consumer ice cream sales through a network of approximately 300 branded ice cream vans operating across Sweden. The vans visit residential neighborhoods and sell frozen ice cream products directly to households. The franchise model includes both company-owned operations and independent franchisee-operated locations.
2. Ice Cream Van Event Rentals: Revenue from renting ice cream vans for private events, corporate functions, and celebrations. The company offers branded van appearances at events like school graduations, parties, and festivals for a base fee starting from approximately 1,500 SEK, with pricing varying based on duration, location, and expected ice cream sales volume.
3. Click & Collect Online Sales: E-commerce platform allowing customers to pre-order ice cream products online and pick up at the ice cream van. A service fee of 19 SEK applies for orders under 299 SEK. Payment processing through Qliro includes options for direct bank payment, card payments, invoice (14-day payment terms), and installment plans.
4. Gift Card Sales: Corporate and consumer gift cards sold in denominations of 200 SEK and 500 SEK, redeemable at all Hemglass ice cream vans nationwide. Sold to businesses via invoice and to consumers via Swish payment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hemglass operates a nationwide door-to-door ice cream delivery service in Sweden through a fleet of approximately 300 branded ice cream vans that visit around 150,000 fixed locations and stop at 15,000 places each evening. The company sells packaged ice cream products (popsicles, sandwiches, boats, sorbets) directly to Swedish households, complemented by an online Click & Collect pre-ordering service, a customer loyalty program (Glasskompis), event van rentals, and corporate gift cards.

Product overview

Hemglass is a Swedish home-delivered ice cream company operating a fleet of approximately 300 branded ice cream trucks that visit around 150,000 fixed locations across Sweden on regular schedules. The company offers a unified product-service ecosystem consisting of: (1) the core ice cream truck delivery service with a standardized product range of popsicles, sandwiches, boats, and sorbets sold in multipacks; (2) the Hemglass app and Glasskompis digital customer loyalty program enabling real-time truck tracking via SMS, digital stamp collection, and bonus redemptions; (3) Click & Collect e-commerce allowing online pre-orders with truck pickup; and (4) annual product launches of seasonal and novelty ice creams including the Drömbåten (Dream Boat) crowd-designed flavors and licensed collaborations such as Bamse, Buttericks, Espresso House, and Delicato.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BRIS Partnership: Hemglass supports BRIS (Children's Rights in Sweden) as part of their social responsibility initiatives.

Products and services

• Click & Collect (Hemglass E-shop) Online ordering service allowing customers to purchase ice cream products via the Hemglass website and collect them from the Hemglass van at a scheduled stop. Customers receive SMS notifications when the van is approaching. A 19 SEK service fee applies for orders under 299 SEK.
• Hemglass App Mobile application for iOS and Android enabling customers to track when the ice cream van is coming, collect digital bonus stamps, access digital membership cards, pre-order favorite ice creams, and receive SMS alerts about the approaching van.
• Glasskompis (Customer Loyalty Club) Customer loyalty program where members earn digital stamps on purchases (1 stamp per 50 SEK spent, 9 stamps = 20 SEK digital voucher), receive SMS notifications when the ice cream van is approaching, and get member-only discounts and exclusive offers.
• Presentkort (Gift Cards) Gift cards available in fixed denominations of 200 SEK and 500 SEK, redeemable at all Hemglass vans nationwide. Sold to corporate clients via invoice and to consumers via Swish payment.
• Hemglassbilen på Event (Ice Cream Truck Event Rental) Rental service for hiring the Hemglass ice cream van for private events, corporate functions, school graduations, parties, and celebrations. Minimum event cost approximately 1,500 SEK, with pricing varying by location, duration, and anticipated ice cream volume.
• Calippo Mini Cola Ice lolly with cola flavor, packaged as 10 sticks at 84g/80ml each, targeting children and families.
• Sorbet Blåbär/Hallon (Sorbet Blueberry/Raspberry) Plant-based sorbet with blueberry and raspberry flavor, 90 kcal per serving, available as 6 sticks of 75ml/65g each. Available exclusively online via Click & Collect.
• Sundborn Vanilj (Sundborn Vanilla) Bourbon vanilla cream ice cream with egg yolk, returning product. Packaged as 8 sticks at 83g/105ml each.
• Bamsemix (Bamse Mix) Mix pack containing 3 flavors: Fruktis pear flavor, lactose-free cream ice cream with blueberry flavor, and lactose-free cream ice cream with vanilla flavor. Available in 10 sticks at 35g/38ml each or 5 sticks at 40g/40ml each.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue grew from 2 million to 200 million SEK in 10 years during the 1970s
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• DelicatoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2025Hemglass partnered with Delicato (Swedish bakery company) to transform beloved Swedish pastry classics into ice cream. The collaboration included Delicato Punschrulle (2025), following the success of Delicatobollsglassen (2024). The Punshrulle is an iconic Swedish bakery item that was successfully reimagined as an ice cream product.
• MalacoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2024Malacos, known for popular candy products, collaborated with Hemglass to create Fizzypop Glasspinnar. The pink-blue candy bottle Fizzypop was transformed into bubblegum-flavored ice cream with fizzing sprinkles. This brings confectionery-inspired flavors to the ice cream category.
• Butterick'scoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2024Butterick's, Sweden's funniest retail chain, collaborated with Hemglass on novelty ice cream products. The partnership includes blue tutti frutti ice cream that colors tongues blue, with a classic joke gift included. This playful collaboration targets children and families with fun, surprise elements.
• Espresso HouseflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2024Hemglass collaborated with Espresso House, Sweden's largest coffee chain, to launch Salted Caramel Latte ice cream. The product combines Espresso House's popular Salted Caramel Latte beverage (gräddglass with coffee flavor, salt caramel sauce, milk chocolate coating with coffee nougat crisp) into an ice cream sold in Hemglass vans and selected Espresso House cafes during summer 2024. This is a flagship partnership bringing coffee culture into the ice cream category.
• BRIS (Barnens Rätt i Samhället)flagshipOthersHemglass supports BRIS, Sweden's leading child rights organization, in their mission to help children. BRIS provides support via telephone, SMS, chat, email, and groups 24/7. Hemglass is proud to contribute to ensuring more children receive support when needed. Children up to 18 can reach BRIS at 116 111.
• QlirocoreTechnology or IntegrationQliro provides payment processing services for Hemglass's e-commerce and Click & Collect platform. Payment options include direct bank payment (Handelsbanken, Nordea, SEB, Swedbank), credit/debit cards (VISA, Mastercard with 3D-Secure), invoice (14-day payment), and installment plans (Qliro Konto). Qliro handles credit checks for installment and invoice purchases.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ben & Jerry's: Premium global ice cream brand under Unilever; relevant peer for Hemglass's novelty and collaboration-driven product strategy (e.g., Drömbåten, brand tie-ups) and as a benchmark for premium positioning in the same category.
• Unilever Ice Cream (Wall's, Ben & Jerry's, Magnum, Häagen-Dazs): World's largest ice cream operator and the dominant supplier to Swedish grocery via brands like Glacé and Magnum. Comparable in product breadth and channel coverage, but lacks Hemglass's direct-to-door mobile retail model.
• Häagen-Dazs: Global premium ice cream brand (Nestlé); comparable as a high-end branded dessert that competes for the same adult gifting and indulgence occasions that Hemglass targets with Sundborn Punsch, Pistagestrut, and similar SKUs.
• Nestlé Ice Cream: Global ice cream giant and Hemglass's former owner (2002–2014). Comparable as a portfolio player across mainstream, premium, and novelty frozen desserts, with extensive Nordic retail distribution.

Others

• Bring (Norwegian Post Group): Nordic logistics and last-mile delivery provider with temperature-controlled capabilities; adjacent comparable for the cold-chain distribution backbone that underpins Hemglass's 300-van network, particularly as the fleet electrifies.

Emerging players

• Frontier Ice Cream: UK-based mobile and event ice cream operator; comparable as a smaller, mobile-van-focused ice cream retailer, useful as a benchmark for how the model can scale in a non-Nordic market.

Regional players

• Hjem-Is: Danish door-to-door ice cream van operator that was historically Hemglass's own Danish subsidiary (launched 1976). Same mobile-van business model in an adjacent Nordic market.
• Hennissens Iskrem: Norwegian ice cream brand owned by dairy cooperative Tine; comparable as a Nordic household-name ice cream manufacturer with strong retail and impulse presence, even if it does not run a Hemglass-style van network.
• Glacé (Unilever Sweden): Unilever's mainstream Swedish ice cream brand and Hemglass's principal supermarket competitor; comparable in targeting Swedish families and impulse occasions, though distributed via retail rather than mobile vans.

Direct peers

• Mister Softee: Iconic US-based franchisor of mobile ice cream trucks; the most direct international comparable to Hemglass's door-to-door branded van model, with the same route-based, impulse-purchase economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Hemglass
• Instagraminstagram.com/hemglass.sverige/?hl=sv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Hemglass