Global fresh produce supplier Greenyard has announced the acquisition of Crème de la Crème, a Belgian food tech company producing plant-based ice cream and frozen desserts.
Crème de la Crème has 25 years of experience in the sector and has developed hundreds of plant-based ice creams, including for major companies such as Alpro and Carrefour. The products are sold as far afield as the Middle East and East Asia.
Last year, Greenyard acquired Italian plant-based ice cream producer Gigi, which has developed a unique method of replacing cream with plant fibres. Through the acquisitions, Greenyard says it aims to offer a range of plant-based products “for any moment of the day”.
“We are happy to integrate the Crème de la Crème team into the Greenyard family and strengthen our knowledge and production capacity in pure-plant ice cream manufacturing, right here in Belgium,” said Francis Kint, CEO of Greenyard. “We are convinced there will be a growing demand for delicious, healthy, pure-plant snacking and indulgent products. The business seamlessly integrates within Greenyard’s European-wide frozen logistic chain, and our global access to the largest retailers.”
Growing demand
Research suggests that the vegan ice cream market could be worth as much as $1.24 billion by 2030. Growth will be driven by changing consumer preferences for more sustainable and ethical products, along with lactose intolerance and the perception that plant-based products are healthier.
“I’m happy that the business Ann-Catherine Nulens and I created 25 years ago will grow within the Greenyard Group by benefiting from its global commercial contacts,” said Rik Zweegers, CEO of Crème de la Crème. “At Crème de la Crème, we feel the demand for pure-plant ice cream. With Greenyard, we’ll be able to reshuffle the world of frozen snacking, as both retailers and consumers are looking for tasty and healthy options to create value.”
