Mehen Food Machine Manufacture Co.

What Mehen Food Machine Manufacture Co. does

Mehen Food Machine Manufacture Co., Ltd. (南京美恒食品机械制造有限公司) is a privately held Chinese manufacturer of commercial ice cream and gelato equipment, founded in 1999 by Mr. Chen in Nanjing, China, after he was inspired by artisan gelato-making in Italy. The company designs and produces batch freezers (from 1.5L mini units to 45L industrial models), pasteurization and ageing machines, heat-freeze combination units, blast chillers, upright storage freezers, yogurt incubators, gelato carts, water chillers, and a range of display showcases organized under sub-brands including HAKAN, CORA, AYLIN, ABBY, VISTA, and AMBER. Underlying technology rests on over 80 patents covering a patented blender design, patented overrun stick, high-pressure extruding material structure, high-efficiency heat-exchanging cylinders, and soft-cooking systems for mix boilers, with PLC-based touch controllers featuring multi-flavor programs. Components are sourced from established Western brands (Tecumseh compressors from France, Frascold compressors from Italy).

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct sales from the Nanjing headquarters and factory (Xinling North Road, Jiangning District) with a distributor network spanning 15 countries — including H&M Company USA (Fremont), ARREDO PROJECT (Italy), MEHEN Equipment Australia, ROMDO GIDA (Turkey), MONTGELATO (Uruguay), and ZABI GELATERIA (East Africa) — together with an OEM/private-label program that allows partners to rebrand Mehen equipment under their own logos (USD 35 fee under 10 units, free above 10). A complementary training business runs regular two-day gelato courses at USD 200 per participant and 1-to-1 VIP courses at USD 800, with cumulative attendance above 1,000 since 2011, sponsored by Italian ingredient suppliers Nappi, Rubicone, MEC3, and Comprital. Customer segments are horizontally distributed across artisan gelato and ice cream shops, hotels and restaurants, bakeries and pastry shops, and industrial food production facilities, with products sold in over 150 countries serving 10,000+ customers.

Mehen maintains an ISO9001-certified factory and a comprehensive regulatory stack including US UL/ETL safety and sanitation, US NSF, European CE-LVD/CE-EMC, Japan food sanitation, and SGS certifications, plus China National High-Tech Enterprise status. The company employs roughly 100 staff (up from 5 in 1999) and reports no external funding rounds or acquisitions; it remains founder-owned. Revenue and detailed financials are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Mehen Food Machine Manufacture Co.

Legal name

MEHEN Food Machine Manufacture Co., Ltd.

Website

https://mehen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mehen Food Machine Manufacture Co. is a Nanjing-based Chinese manufacturer of commercial gelato and ice cream equipment — including batch freezers, pasteurizers, display showcases, and blast chillers — sold across 150+ countries to artisan gelato shops, hotels, bakeries, and industrial food producers through a global distributor and OEM network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Ice Cream Equipment

NAICS

Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Soft-Serve Ice Cream Mix Manufacturing (AFAHAEAB), Ice Cream Cakes & Frozen Dessert Bakery Manufacturing (AFAHAEAH)

Keywords

• Commercial gelato equipment
• Batch freezers
• Ice cream machines
• Pasteurization equipment
• Blast chillers

Headquarters

HQ city

Jiangning

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commercial Gelato Equipment Sales: Revenue generated from manufacturing and selling commercial ice cream and gelato equipment including batch freezers, pasteurization machines, display showcases, blast chillers, and combination machines. Products range from small counter-top units to large commercial batch freezers for industrial production.
2. Gelato Training Courses: Revenue from conducting gelato making training courses. Regular training costs USD 200 per participant, while 1-to-1 VIP training costs USD 800 per person with half refund by ordering MEHEN machines.
3. OEM/Private Label Manufacturing: OEM partners can integrate customized or embedded Mehen products into their own solutions. Additional costs apply for custom branding: USD 35 if quantity is less than 10 machines, free if quantity exceeds 10 machines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mehen Food Machine Manufacture Co., Ltd. (南京美恒食品机械制造有限公司) designs and manufactures commercial ice cream and gelato equipment, including batch freezers, pasteurization machines, display showcases, blast chillers, and combination machines. Founded in 1999 by Mr. Chen in Nanjing, China, the company also provides gelato training courses and OEM/private label manufacturing services for gelato shops, bakeries, cafés, hotels, and food service businesses worldwide.

Product overview

Mehen Food Machine Manufacture Co. is a commercial ice cream and gelato equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of 20+ distinct products across the gelato production lifecycle. The portfolio centers on batch freezers (ranging from mini 1.5L to large 45L models), pasteurization machines, heat-freeze combination units, and display showcases. Supporting equipment includes blast chillers, upright storage freezers, yoghurt incubators, gelato carts, mix boilers, water chillers, and whipped cream machines. The product range is organized into Fresh Gelato Machines (Hakan MF series), Batch Freezers (M1 through M45 series), Heat-Freeze Combination machines, Pasteurization/Ageing machines, Pastry Custard machines, and Display Showcases (AYLIN, CORA, ABBY, POZZETTI, VISTA, AMBER series). The company holds 80+ patents and manufactures ISO9001-certified equipment sold across 150+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HAKAN: Fresh Gelato Freezer product line featuring all-in-one machines for display, batching, and freshness beating with 2/4/6/8 flavor options.
• VISTA
• AMBER
• CORA
• AYLIN
• ABBY

Products and services

• Commercial Gelato Batch Freezers Floor-standing commercial batch freezer machines designed for artisanal gelato production in gelato shops, bakeries, and restaurants. Built around Mehen's patented blender and overrun stick technologies.
• Pasteurization Machines Commercial pasteurization equipment for preparing gelato and ice cream bases, employing Mehen's soft-cooking technology to preserve ingredient quality.
• Gelato and Ice Cream Display Showcases Refrigerated display showcases designed for retail presentation of gelato and ice cream in shops, cafés, and foodservice venues.
• Blast Chillers Commercial blast chillers used to rapidly bring gelato and ice cream products down to serving or storage temperature in professional kitchens and gelato shops.
• Combination Machines Multi-function combination units that integrate two or more production steps (e.g., pasteurizing and freezing, or freezing and displaying) for space-constrained gelato operations.
• Gelato Training Courses Hands-on gelato-making training courses delivered to customers, prospects, and distributors to support equipment adoption and product quality.
• OEM and Private-Label Manufacturing OEM and private-label manufacturing service in which Mehen designs and produces commercial ice cream and gelato equipment for partner brands and distributors to sell under their own label.

Quantifiable outcome

• Production capacity: M10E Economic Batch Freezer produces 20-40 liters per hour with 2.5-6 liter input in 5-10 minutes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional, strategic and component supplier.

• H&M Company USA, InccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMEHEN USA Distributor with showroom at 45401 Research Ave., Fremont, CA 94539. Manager Henry He provides local sales, training, technical support, and spare parts. Tel: +1 (408) 899-9068.
• ARREDO PROJECT DI SIDOTI CARMELAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMEHEN Italy Distributor located in Gela, Sicily. Director Calogero Falco provides local sales and service for Italian market. Tel: +39 933 190 4507.
• MEHEN Equipment AustraliacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMEHEN Australia distributor in Pakenham, Victoria. Provides local sales and service for Australian market. Tel: +61 1300 463 436.
• ROMDO GIDA SAN. TİC. LTD. STİcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMEHEN Turkey distributor in Mersin, Turkey. Manager Mr. Suleyman Celik provides local sales and service. Tel: +90 324 3360691.
• MONTGELATO SRLcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMEHEN Uruguay distributor in Montevideo. Director Jorge Picardo provides local sales and service for South American market. Tel: +598-24016955.
• ZABI GELATERIAregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMEHEN East Africa partner with Director Mugenyi Billy. Provides local service for East African market. Tel: +256-785565626.
• NAPPI (Italy)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian ingredients company that sponsors MEHEN's regular gelato training courses. Nappi provides ingredients support for training programs conducted since 2011.
• MEC3strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian ingredients supplier that sponsors MEHEN gelato training courses and provides ingredients for hands-on gelato making practice during training sessions.
• CompritalstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian ingredients company sponsoring MEHEN gelato training courses, contributing ingredients and expertise for training attendees.
• RubiconestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian ingredients supplier that sponsors MEHEN gelato training courses and supports practical gelato making demonstrations.
• Tecumsehcomponent supplierTechnology or IntegrationFrance-made Tecumseh compressors (Tecumseh Hermétique) are used in MEHEN machines for stable, quiet and efficient performance. Featured in batch freezers, pasteurization machines, and display showcases.
• Frascoldcomponent supplierTechnology or IntegrationItaly-made Frascold compressors are used in MEHEN machines as an alternative compressor brand for stable and efficient performance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frigomat: Italian maker of batch freezers, pasteurizers, and gelato display cabinets serving artisan and industrial customers. Overlaps directly with Mehen's core product portfolio and Italian-heritage competitive positioning.
• Carpigiani: Italian global leader in artisan gelato and ice cream equipment. Most direct comparable to Mehen, competing head-to-head in batch freezers, pasteurizers, and display cases for the same gelato-shop and hospitality end customers.
• Stoelting: US-based manufacturer of commercial soft-serve, batch, and frozen dessert equipment for foodservice. Direct overlap with Mehen in batch freezers and frozen dessert machinery serving similar QSR and hospitality customers.
• Bravo (Gelato Equipment): Italian manufacturer of professional gelato batch freezers, pasteurizers, and display showcases. Closely comparable product line, target customer (artisan gelato makers), and global distribution footprint to Mehen.
• Gel Matic: Italian gelato equipment manufacturer producing batch freezers, pasteurizers, and showcases. Closely comparable in technology, customer segment (gelato shops), and global go-to-market to Mehen.
• Electro Freeze: US manufacturer of batch freezers, soft-serve, and frozen shake equipment for foodservice operators. Comparable product category, target market, and distribution model to Mehen's batch freezer business.

Broad incumbents

• Taylor Company: Established US manufacturer of commercial foodservice equipment including batch freezers and shake/slush machines. Comparable in commercial ice cream equipment, with broader foodservice portfolio and stronger US dealer footprint.

Emerging players

• Spaceman: Manufacturer of soft-serve and frozen beverage equipment serving global foodservice customers. Adjacent overlap with Mehen in commercial frozen-dessert equipment, particularly relevant for HoReCa segment.
• ICETECH by Tekna: Italian emerging brand producing professional batch freezers and gelato machines. Direct product overlap with Mehen but smaller scale; useful as a newer-generation competitor reference point.

Regional players

• Nissei (Frozen Dessert Equipment): Japanese manufacturer of commercial ice cream, gelato, and frozen dessert machinery with strong Asia-Pacific presence. Comparable in product category but primarily competes in Asian markets where Mehen is also active.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MehenIceCreamMachinegelatoFreezer
• Xx.com/australiamehen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mehen-food-machine-manufacture-co-ltd

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Mehen Food Machine Manufacture Co.