The acquisition of YSCO was made through the duo’s jointly backed ice cream investments platform, Glacier.
Private label manufacturer YSCO works closely with almost all the mainstream European retailers for the co-creation and production of their home-brand ice cream products. The business has facilities in Belgium and France, distributing up to 200m litres of ice cream per annum, predominately within Europe.
“This acquisition represents an exciting opportunity for YSCO to accelerate our growth as part of Glacier’s ambitious vision,” said Bert Van Nieuwenborgh, CEO of YSCO.
“As Europe’s second-largest private label ice cream producer, our expertise in large batch production and strong retailer relationships perfectly complement Glacier’s innovative approach. Together, we are well-positioned to lead the way in a rapidly growing and evolving market, delivering exceptional value to our partners and customers.”
The deal sees YSCO joining independent Italian-based Gelato d’Italia which Glacier acquired in 2022, and represents an ambitious growth plan for Glacier, as it sets its sights on growing its presence in the global ice cream market.
Gelato d’Italia has two sites in Italy, producing ice cream for customers worldwide. Bringing it together with YSCO under the Glacier banner will see the creation one of the largest third-party ice cream manufacturers globally with revenues in excess of €600m.
Cem Karakaş, chairperson of Glacier and Partner at Afendis added: “Glacier is perfectly positioned to capitalise on strong growth in the fragmented European third-party ice cream sector.
“By building on the success of Gelato d’Italia and leveraging YSCO’s scale and expertise in long-run production of large batch products, Glacier is well-placed to be a leading player in Europe. This acquisition will be the launchpad for further expansion across the globe.”
