Kastbergs
Kastbergs is a Danish privately-held gourmet ice cream, sorbet, and soft serve producer founded in 2012, selling exclusively through food service wholesalers to restaurants, hotels, cafés, and ice cream parlors in Denmark and Germany. It also offers the Ishus Koncept turnkey ice cream parlor package.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSilkeborg, Denmark
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kastbergs does
Kastbergs is a Danish privately-held gourmet ice cream producer founded in 2012 by Joachim Kastberg and headquartered at Lundvej 8 in Herning (relocated there in 2019). The company produces handcrafted cream ice cream, sorbet, and soft serve across more than 40 variants, using a traditional batch process with machines cooled to -35°C and a hand-layered technique in which each tub is filled in three stages with ingredients added between layers. Its core product base relies on locally sourced inputs, including fresh milk and cream from Them Dairy Cooperative located within 40 km of the facility and processed within 24 hours, alongside Danish strawberries from Samsø, local blackcurrants, and bespoke ingredients such as a 72.7% dark chocolate co-developed with Callebaut's Or Noir team in Paris.
Kastbergs sells exclusively to the B2B food service market — hotels, restaurants, cafés, and ice cream parlors — through leading food service wholesalers in Denmark (AB Catering, BC Catering, Dagrofa Food Service, Hørkram Foodservice) and Germany (BOS Food GmbH, Bast GmbH & Co. KG, Konrad Boysen GmbH & Co. KG). It does not sell directly to consumers or via retail. Documented placements span Michelin-starred fine dining (Restaurant Coast on Sylt, Restaurant Felix at Glücksburg Strandhotel, Hotel Alte Post) and Michelin-referenced chains (A Hereford Beefstouw), as well as concept ice cream parlors built on its Ishus Koncept turnkey package.
Beyond core wholesale, Kastbergs operates two complementary business concepts — the Ishus Koncept (turnkey ice cream parlor package from 14,995 DKK, including 9- or 12-unit display freezers, accessories, and digital marketing assets) and the Softice Koncept — plus the Mit Kastbergs partner portal and an 80+ recipe Dessert Inspiration content library. The company remains founder-controlled (Joachim Kastberg as Ice Cream Maker, Owner and Founder) with a 1-10 employee headcount and no external institutional investment disclosed.
Kastbergs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kastbergs
- Legal name
- Kastbergs
- Website
- https://kastbergs.dk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Kastbergs is a Danish privately-held gourmet ice cream, sorbet, and soft serve producer founded in 2012, selling exclusively through food service wholesalers to restaurants, hotels, cafés, and ice cream parlors in Denmark and Germany. It also offers the Ishus Koncept turnkey ice cream parlor package.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kastbergs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisan Ice Cream Production
- NAICS
- Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)
- SIC
- Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Soft-Serve Ice Cream Mix Manufacturing (AFAHAEAB), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE)
Keywords
Where Kastbergs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Silkeborg
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kastbergs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Food Service Wholesale: Kastbergs sells its gourmet ice cream, sorbet, and soft ice exclusively through leading food service wholesalers (AB Catering, BC Catering, Dagrofa Food Service, Hørkram Foodservice) to hotels, restaurants, cafés, and ice cream parlors in Denmark and Germany. Products are also distributed through German wholesalers including BOS Food GmbH, Bast GmbH & Co. KG, and Konrad Boysen GmbH & Co. KG.
- Ice Cream Shop Concept (Ishus Koncept): Turnkey package for starting an ice cream parlor, starting from 14,995 kr. Includes professional display freezers (9 or 12 variants), complete accessory package (spoons, cups, waffle holders), digital marketing materials (photos, videos, guides), and ongoing product supply. Recurring revenue through wholesale product orders.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Ice Cream Shop Concept (Ishus Koncept) starting package |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Kastbergs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kastbergs produces and sells handcrafted gourmet ice cream, sorbet, and soft serve products exclusively to food service businesses such as ice cream parlors, restaurants, hotels, and cafés in Denmark and Germany. Its offering combines more than 40 flavor variants of cream-based ice cream and vegan sorbet with two turnkey business concepts — Ishus Koncept (ice cream shop starter package) and Softice Koncept (soft serve concept) — distributed via leading food service wholesalers and supported by a customer portal and dessert inspiration content library.
Product overview
Kastbergs is a Danish gourmet ice cream producer offering a unified portfolio of handcrafted ice cream, sorbet, and soft serve products exclusively for the food service market (restaurants, ice cream parlors, hotels, and cafés). The core products are its premium ice cream (with over 40 variants), sorbet (vegan fruit-based), and soft serve. Kastbergs also offers two complementary business concepts — the Ice House Concept and Soft Serve Concept — which are turnkey packages for operators wanting to establish ice cream-focused businesses, bundled with equipment, accessories, and digital marketing support. A Dessert Inspiration content library and the Mit Kastbergs customer portal round out the service offering, while the company blog provides ongoing culinary and operational content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ice Cream (Flødeis)
- Sorbet
- Soft Serve (Softice)
- Ice House Concept (Ishus Koncept)
Quantifiable outcome
- 40+ flavor variants across cream ice cream, sorbet, and soft ice categories
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Kastbergs
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kastbergs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Kastbergs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Callebaut (Or Noir Development Team)coreCollaboration to develop Kastbergs custom dark chocolate (72.7% cocoa). Joachim Kastberg visited Callebaut's Or Noir development department in Paris to create a chocolate specifically optimized for freezing with ice cream. Callebaut has over 175 years of history and 100+ years of chocolate experience.
- Them Andelsmejeri (Them Dairy Cooperative)coreFresh milk and cream supplier located less than 40 km from Kastbergs production facility. Since 1888, Them has been producing dairy products using high-quality milk from local farms within 30 km radius. All of Kastbergs ice cream uses fresh milk and cream from this cooperative, processed within 24 hours of delivery.
- Give KonfektureminorProduces Kastbergs blackcurrant jam using Ben Tron blackcurrants from Kjellerup, Midtjylland. Also produces Kastbergs salted caramel sauce according to in-house recipe.
- Stauning WhiskyminorDenmark's top-tier distillery providing award-winning rye whisky for Kastbergs Cask Whisky Ice Cream. Uses 70% rye, malted on the floor, and double-distilled over open fire. Kastbergs uses raw single cask, cask-strength whisky at 62% alcohol.
- Fanø Spirits (Havfruen Rum)minorAward-winning Jamaican-style rum from Fanø island, aged in oak barrels. Infused with local flavors including sea buckthorn and heather honey. Used in Kastbergs Rum-Raisin Ice Cream.
- Peter Larsen KaffeminorCoffee roaster from Viborg providing espresso for Kastbergs Espresso-Honey Ice Cream.
- Samsø BærminorStrawberry supplier from Samsø island providing Honeoye strawberry variety. Grown under special climatic conditions on the island, known for intense flavor and vibrant deep red color.
- AB CateringcoreDenmark's leading food service wholesaler distributing Kastbergs products to hotels, restaurants, cafés, and ice cream parlors throughout Denmark.
- BC CateringcoreDenmark's leading food service wholesaler distributing Kastbergs products to professional market throughout Denmark.
- Dagrofa Food ServicecoreDenmark's leading food service wholesaler distributing Kastbergs products to professional market including hotels, restaurants, and ice cream parlors.
- Hørkram FoodservicecoreDenmark's leading food service wholesaler distributing Kastbergs products to professional market throughout Denmark.
- BOS Food GmbHcoreDelicatessen and renowned food service wholesaler for fine dining, based in Düsseldorf area delivering specialty foods from around the world to German restaurants. Distributes Kastbergs products in Germany.
- Bast GmbH & Co. KGminorRegional food service wholesaler serving hotels, restaurants, and cafés in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Third-generation family business based in Tönning.
- Konrad Boysen GmbH & Co. KGminorFood service wholesaler based in Westerland on Sylt, serving hotels and restaurants on the island including many gastronomic establishments.
- HanosminorMentioned as a partnership for Kastbergs ice cream distribution in a blog post.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kastbergs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gelato Messina: Premium Australian gelato brand operating parlors and a wholesale supply business. Comparable on premium positioning, chef-driven flavor innovation, and a turnkey parlor concept layered on top of wholesale supply.
- Jude's Ice Cream: Premium British ice cream brand sold through both supermarkets and foodservice with a strong local-sourcing narrative. Comparable small-team, premium, B2B+B2C brand competing for the same kind of chef and hospitality customer.
- Mackie's of Scotland: Premium Scottish ice cream producer selling through retail and foodservice with hyperlocal dairy sourcing. Highly comparable to Kastbergs as a small-batch, premium-positioned B2B/B2C ice cream brand built on a local dairy story.
- Northern Bloc: UK-based artisan ice cream manufacturer focused on the foodservice and retail trade channel. Comparable premium positioning, B2B go-to-market through wholesalers, and similar product breadth across ice cream and sorbet.
Broad incumbents
- Talenti: Premium gelato and sorbet brand owned by Unilever, distributed through retail and foodservice in Europe and the US. Comparable on premium sorbet/ice cream positioning and foodservice relevance, but at significantly larger scale.
- Carte d'Or (Unilever): Mass-market premium ice cream brand owned by Unilever, widely distributed through European foodservice and retail. Comparable as a foodservice premium ice cream competitor but at vastly greater scale and broader portfolio.
- Häagen-Dazs: Global premium ice cream brand with deep foodservice penetration in European hotels and restaurants. Comparable category and premium positioning, but operating at multinational scale rather than a niche artisanal niche.
Emerging players
- La Gelatiera: London-based artisanal gelato maker supplying restaurants and direct consumers with a small-batch, chef-collaboration model. Comparable to Kastbergs in scale, craft positioning, and foodservice customer base, though UK-focused.
- Bennetto Natural Foods: Small-scale premium ice cream and confectionery producer with a strong natural-ingredient and co-manufacturing story. Comparable artisanal B2B model and emphasis on clean, traceable ingredients, though primarily Oceania-based.
Regional players
- Paradise Ice Cream: Danish premium ice cream producer serving Scandinavian retail and foodservice. Direct competitor within Kastbergs' home market, with overlapping product portfolio and similar local-ingredient positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kastbergs social profiles
Digital presenceKastbergs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kastbergs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Kastbergs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kastbergs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kastbergs
What does Kastbergs do?
Kastbergs produces and sells handcrafted gourmet ice cream, sorbet, and soft serve products exclusively to food service businesses such as ice cream parlors, restaurants, hotels, and cafés in Denmark and Germany. Its offering combines more than 40 flavor variants of cream-based ice cream and vegan sorbet with two turnkey business concepts — Ishus Koncept (ice cream shop starter package) and Softice Koncept (soft serve concept) — distributed via leading food service wholesalers and supported by a customer portal and dessert inspiration content library.
Is Kastbergs a public or private company?
Kastbergs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kastbergs founded?
Kastbergs was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Kastbergs based?
Kastbergs is headquartered in Silkeborg, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Kastbergs make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Food Service Wholesale is the primary driver. The others are ice Cream Shop Concept (Ishus Koncept).
Who are Kastbergs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gelato Messina, Jude's Ice Cream, Mackie's of Scotland and Northern Bloc. Broad incumbents are Talenti, Carte d'Or (Unilever) and Häagen-Dazs. Emerging players are La Gelatiera and Bennetto Natural Foods. Paradise Ice Cream is listed as a regional player.
Does Kastbergs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kastbergs.
What industry is Kastbergs in?
Kastbergs's product category is Artisan Ice Cream Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAKAE, Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing, with a secondary code of AFAHAEAB, Soft-Serve Ice Cream Mix Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311520 and its SIC code is 2024.