PNC Brands Group has taken a majority stake in the US-based and family-owned Ice Cream Factory for an undisclosed sum.
Founded in 2019 by Shannon and Katie Imler, Ice Cream Factory makes handcrafted ice creams and provides co-manufacturing for regional as well as emerging brands.
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Operations are centred at a refurbished 90,000-square-foot dairy plant in Lebanon, Missouri, built in the 1940s, which will remain the company’s headquarters and main production site, PNC said in a statement.
PNC is a company that supports food brands with functions such as R&D, packaging design and distribution. It is the parent organisation of Pivot North Consulting Group and the owner of PNC Specialty Foods.
Gail Kurpgeweit, the president and CEO of Pivot North and PNC Specialty Foods, told Just Food that the “driving reasons behind acquiring Ice Cream Factory was to secure long-term production stability for PNC’s flagship product, Fanci Freez”.
The Lebanon facility is expected to provide the infrastructure to scale the soft-serve milkshake product while supporting a growing portfolio of sweet and savoury items developed through PNC’s Menu to Market programme, she said.
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By GlobalDataWithout disclosing the exact stake, Kurpgeweit said PNC now holds a controlling interest that will allow it to steer operations and invest in growth.
Shannon Imler will retain a “significant” stake and continue as chief growth officer, Kurpgeweit confirmed.
The Lebanon site has historically been utilised at around 30% of its capacity, and PNC’s “involvement is focused on scaling that remaining 70%”, she added.
Planned “targeted upgrades” include modernising processing lines, expanding frozen storage and a new savoury production line to widen co-manufacturing beyond ice cream, according to PNC’s statement.
Ice Cream Factory has previously split output between its own brands and co-manufactured products for select partners.
“Under PNC’s leadership, co-packing will be a central focus of our growth model,” Kurpgeweit told Just Food, adding that the facility was “intentionally acquired to support national-scale manufacturing for PNC’s house brands as well as partner brands seeking a reliable, SQF-certified production home (certification pending)”.
Headcount at the Lebanon plant currently ranges from about 27 to 49 full-time employees, depending on seasonality, she said. And, as production ramps and product categories expand, PNC expects to add a further 17 to 29 roles over the next year across production, logistics, food safety and quality management.
Without disclosing the historical sales figures of the ice-cream maker, Kurpgeweit said its emphasis is on capacity and growth, new contracts, expanded product lines and capital investment.
The Ice Cream Factory’s current sales focus is the US market, with international opportunities under consideration, she added.
