Greenyard has announced the acquisition of Crème de la Crème, a Belgian manufacturer of dairy-free ice creams and plant-based frozen snacks.
The acquisition marks Greenyard's further expansion of its frozen portfolio, following on from its takeover of Italian firm Gigi in spring 2023.
It said that the Crème de la Crème takeover provides it with more than 25 years of additional in-house experience in the production of dairy-free frozen desserts and snacks, and is an 'immediate catalyst' for the company in terms of transforming the total frozen snack category.
Pure-Plant Ice
“We are happy to integrate the Crème de la Crème team in the Greenyard family and strengthen our knowledge and production capacity in pure-plant ice manufacturing, right here in Belgium," commented Francis Kint, chief executive 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.”
'Accelerate And Disrupt'
Greenyard added that it is seeking to 'accelerate and disrupt' the frozen snack category with its recent acquisitions, with the frozen snacking category set to increase at a CAGR of 6.2% between now and 2030.
'The rising frequency of lactose-intolerance and gluten-free dietary lifestyles will fuel the growth of products that offer a solution and will be one of the key drivers of growth of this category,' the company said.
Commenting on the deal, Rik Zweegers, CEO of Crème de la Crème, said that he was pleased that the business he helped co-establish 25 years ago will "grow within the Greenyard Group by benefiting from its global commercial contacts. At Crème de la Crème we feel the demand for pure-plant ice.
"With Greenyard, we’ll be able to reshuffle the world of frozen snacking, as both retailers and consumers are looking for the tasty and healthy options to create value.”
