Pnc Brands Group Buys Majority Stake In Ice Cream Factory 

Credit: Ice Cream Factory/Facebook

PNC Brands Group has taken a mostly liking successful nan US-based and family-owned Ice Cream Factory for an undisclosed sum. 

Founded successful 2019 by Shannon and Katie Imler, Ice Cream Factory makes handcrafted crystal creams and provides co-manufacturing for location arsenic good arsenic emerging brands.  

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to scope engaged professionals crossed 36 starring media platforms.

Find retired much

Operations are centred astatine a refurbished 90,000-square-foot dairy works successful Lebanon, Missouri, built successful nan 1940s, which will stay nan company’s office and main accumulation site, PNC said successful a statement.  

PNC is simply a institution that supports nutrient brands pinch functions specified arsenic R&D, packaging creation and distribution. It is nan genitor organisation of Pivot North Consulting Group and nan proprietor of PNC Specialty Foods.

Gail Kurpgeweit, nan president and CEO of Pivot North and PNC Specialty Foods, told Just Food that nan “driving reasons down acquiring Ice Cream Factory was to unafraid semipermanent accumulation stableness for PNC’s flagship product, Fanci Freez”.  

The Lebanon installation is expected to supply nan infrastructure to standard nan soft-serve milkshake merchandise while supporting a increasing portfolio of saccharine and savoury items developed done PNC’s Menu to Market programme, she said. 

Without disclosing nan nonstop stake, Kurpgeweit said PNC now holds a controlling liking that will let it to steer operations and put successful growth.  

Shannon Imler will clasp a “significant” liking and proceed arsenic main maturation officer, Kurpgeweit confirmed.  

The Lebanon tract has historically been utilised astatine astir 30% of its capacity, and PNC’s “involvement is focused connected scaling that remaining 70%”, she added.

Planned “targeted upgrades” see modernising processing lines, expanding stiff retention and a caller savoury accumulation statement to widen co-manufacturing beyond crystal cream, according to PNC’s statement. 

Ice Cream Factory has antecedently divided output betwixt its ain brands and co-manufactured products for prime partners.  

“Under PNC’s leadership, co-packing will beryllium a cardinal attraction of our maturation model,” Kurpgeweit told Just Food, adding that nan installation was “intentionally acquired to support national-scale manufacturing for PNC’s location brands arsenic good arsenic partner brands seeking a reliable, SQF-certified accumulation location (certification pending)”.  

Headcount astatine nan Lebanon works presently ranges from astir 27 to 49 full-time employees, depending connected seasonality, she said. And, arsenic accumulation ramps and merchandise categories expand, PNC expects to adhd a further 17 to 29 roles complete nan adjacent twelvemonth crossed production, logistics, nutrient information and value management. 

Without disclosing nan humanities income figures of nan ice-cream maker, Kurpgeweit said its accent is connected capacity and growth, caller contracts, expanded merchandise lines and superior investment.  

The Ice Cream Factory’s existent income attraction is nan US market, pinch world opportunities nether consideration, she added.