Glacier

What Glacier does

Glacier is a European B2B ice cream and frozen dessert manufacturer, positioned by management as the largest pure-play private-label and co-manufacturing ice cream producer in Europe. The group was formed in 2024 by private equity firm Afendis Capital Management, which acquired Belgian manufacturer Ysco and combined it with previously acquired Italian operator Gelato d'Italia. Glacier operates five manufacturing sites across Belgium (Langemark), Italy (Cavriago, Montignoso, Castel d'Ario), and France (Argentan), running more than 50 production lines that manufacture approximately 298 million litres of ice cream and 450 million cones per year. The workforce numbers around 1,500 employees across Europe.

The product portfolio spans seven categories — extruded sticks, cones, bonbons and bars, tubs/pots/cups, moulded sticks and ice lollies, sandwiches, and cakes and specialities — all delivered under customer brands or as contract-manufactured products for brand owners. Manufacturing relies on highly automated lines with in-house engineering teams that design and adapt equipment internally, supported by pilot facilities for product development and a dedicated innovation centre under construction at Cavriago, Italy. The company holds sustainability certifications across RSPO, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, FSC, PEFC, Sedex, SBTi, and Biocertified, and is structured to deliberately avoid competing with its own customers through branded retail products.

Revenue is generated exclusively through B2B contracts — private-label manufacturing for retailers under their store brands, and co-manufacturing for international brand owners — with pricing negotiated individually based on volume, format, and specification. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, targeting procurement, sourcing, and category leadership at leading European retailers and FMCG brands, with case-study customers including major UK, German, and international retailers and brands. FY2025 net sales were €582 million; growth, capacity, and acquisition momentum are funded by a €400m syndicated loan facility (February 2026) and a €45m capital investment programme (July 2026). Ownership sits with Afendis Capital Management as lead private equity sponsor, alongside Davidson Kempner Capital Management.

Name

Glacier

Legal name

Glacier Acquisitions UK Limited

Website

https://glacierglobal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Glacier is Europe's largest pure-play private-label and co-manufacturing ice cream producer, operating five manufacturing sites in Belgium, Italy, and France that produce approximately 298 million litres annually for retailers and brand owners under B2B contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private-label ice cream manufacturing

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing (311813)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ice Cream Cakes & Frozen Dessert Bakery Manufacturing (AFAHAEAH), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE)

Keywords

• Private label ice cream
• Co-manufacturing services
• Frozen desserts manufacturing
• Contract food production
• Retail brand production

Headquarters

HQ city

Carrollton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Label Manufacturing: Manufacturing ice cream and frozen desserts for retailers under their own brands (private label). This is the core business model - Glacier produces products that retailers sell under their store brands.
2. Co-manufacturing Services: Providing manufacturing capabilities for brand owners who want Glacier to produce their ice cream products. Working alongside customers from concept to production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Glacier manufactures private-label and co-manufactured ice cream and frozen desserts on behalf of leading retailers and international brand owners across Europe. Operating 50+ production lines across five manufacturing sites in Belgium, Italy, and France, the company produces approximately 298 million litres of ice cream and 450 million cones annually, covering extruded sticks, cones, bonbons and bars, tubs/pots/cups, moulded sticks and ice lollies, sandwiches, and cakes and other specialities. Glacier works side by side with customers from concept to chiller via pilot facilities, R&D, commercial, and production teams, and supplements its scale with sustainability-led sourcing certifications.

Product overview

Glacier is Europe's largest pure-play private label and co-manufacturing ice cream producer, offering a comprehensive portfolio of frozen desserts. The company operates 50+ production lines across 5 manufacturing sites in Belgium, Italy, and France, producing approximately 298 million litres of ice cream annually. Their product portfolio consists of seven core product categories: Extruded Sticks (chocolate-coated sticks in jumbo, mini, and premium formats), Cones (classic wafer cones with various flavours and toppings), Bonbons & Bars (bites-sized snacks, the fastest growing segment), Tubs/Pots & Cups (scooping formats with single-flavour and layered options), Moulded Sticks/Ice Lollies (refreshment-focused sticks and fruit sorbets), Sandwiches (customisable wafer-based products), and Cakes & Specialties (layered celebration cakes and on-the-go push-up lollies). The company combines highly automated manufacturing with heritage expertise to deliver consistent, year-round production for private label and co-manufacturing customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Extruded Sticks Extruded ice creams on a stick with rich chocolate coating, ranging from classic jumbos to mini and premium formats with sauce swirls and nuts, manufactured for private label retailers and brand owner customers.
• Cones Classic wafer cones filled with rich, creamy ice cream and sauces, finished with chocolate coatings and hazelnut toppings, with premium and plant-based options, produced for retailer and brand customers.
• Bonbons & Bars Bite-sized ice cream products combining creamy ice cream with sauces, swirls, or dough, coated in crunchy chocolate, supplied to retailers and brand owners as their fastest-growing product segment.
• Tubs, Pots & Cups Versatile scooping range across tubs, cups, and pots featuring single-flavour favourites and innovative layered creations with chocolate, fruit, or meringue, supplied for retail and foodservice channels.
• Moulded Sticks / Ice Lollies Diverse stick range combining flavour and refreshment including chocolate-coated ice creams with crunchy toppings, multi-flavour ice lollies, and fruit sorbets with high fruit content, manufactured for retail private label and brand customers.
• Sandwiches Customisable sandwich range blending taste and texture across rectangular and round designs, plus dipped sandwich cookies with creamy fillings and crunchy biscuits, supplied to retail and brand customers.
• Cakes and Other Specialities Layered ice cream cakes for special occasions in rectangular and round formats spanning classic vanilla and chocolate to hazelnut or fruit-based variations, complemented by filled fruit shells and push-up lollies, supplied to retail, foodservice, and brand customers.
• Private Label Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing End-to-end B2B manufacturing service that produces ice cream and frozen desserts on behalf of retailer customers, sold under the retailer's own store brand, from concept development through to year-round supply.
• Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Co-Manufacturing B2B co-manufacturing service delivering ice cream and frozen dessert production for international brand owners, from concept to chiller, leveraging the group's 50 production lines, pilot facilities, and innovation centre.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50% growth in the UK during 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• YscocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Belgian ice cream manufacturer acquired by Afendis Capital Management in 2024 as the foundation for forming Glacier. Ysco's Managing Director Bert Van Nieuwenborgh (23 years with Ysco) now serves as Glacier's Chief Strategy Officer, bringing deep expertise in innovation, operations and strategic growth.
• Gelato d'ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian ice cream company previously acquired and combined with Ysco to form Glacier in 2024. Gelato d'Italia CEO Marco Pellegrino now serves as Glacier's Chief Revenue Officer, having led the growth of the Italian business for nine years.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Unilever Ice Cream: Unilever owns the Wall's, Magnum, and Ben & Jerry's brands across Europe and globally. As a broad FMCG incumbent it both competes for ice cream shelf space and serves as a co-manufacturing/branded partner to retailers — comparable to Glacier but at vastly larger scale and with a branded-equity advantage.
• General Mills: General Mills is the U.S. licensee and global operator for Häagen-Dazs shops outside the Americas and produces a broad portfolio of branded and foodservice ice cream. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Glacier in frozen dessert manufacturing, R&D capability, and global retail customer relationships.
• Nestlé (Ice Cream business): Nestlé operates one of the world's largest ice cream businesses (under spin-off/restructuring announced 2024–25) including Häagen-Dazs, Mövenpick, and significant private-label supply. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Glacier in private-label co-manufacturing capability and product range.

Regional players

• DMK Group (Deutsches Milchkontor): DMK is Germany's largest dairy cooperative, with an ice cream division producing private-label and branded frozen desserts. It is a regional European comparable to Glacier's manufacturing footprint, particularly relevant for the German retail private-label segment Glacier serves.
• Sammontana: Sammontana is one of Italy's largest ice cream manufacturers, producing branded and private-label gelato and ice cream products for the Italian and broader European market. It is a regional comparable to Glacier's Italian Gelato d'Italia operations and a relevant peer for Italian retail private-label contracts.
• Valio: Valio is a Finnish dairy and ice cream manufacturer with operations across the Nordics and selected export markets. While smaller and more regional than Glacier, it is comparable as a dairy-led private-label ice cream producer serving retail customers.

Emerging players

• Pernigotti: Pernigotti is a heritage Italian confectionery and ice cream brand with B2B manufacturing operations serving Italian and European retailers. It is an emerging/niche peer comparable to Glacier's specialty Italian operations, particularly in gelato-adjacent formats.
• La Compagnie des Desserts: La Compagnie des Desserts is a French specialty producer of premium frozen desserts and patisserie, serving foodservice and retail channels across Europe. It overlaps with Glacier's cakes/specialities and foodservice-adjacent segments, with comparable B2B manufacturing focus.

Others

• Breyers (Unilever) — note consolidated into Unilever Ice Cream: Listed as an 'others' peer — Breyers as a standalone brand is now part of Unilever Ice Cream and not separately comparable. The slot is retained to acknowledge Häagen-Dazs and Breyers retail/private-label dynamics overlapping with Glacier's tubs, pots, and cups category, which Glacier's own product line directly competes against in retailer assortments.

Direct peers

• Froneri International: Froneri is a global ice cream manufacturer formed as a joint venture between Nestlé and R&R (formerly R&R Ice Cream). It is both a major branded ice cream producer and the dominant private-label ice cream manufacturer worldwide, directly comparable to Glacier across both co-manufacturing and retailer-owned brands in Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Glacier