Lotus Bakeries moves into ice cream with Mondelez

Lotus Bakeries is expanding its partnership with Mondelez into the ice cream category. Specifically, Mondelez partner Froneri, the world’s second-largest ice cream producer, will produce and distribute Biscoff ice cream in several European countries from 2026, with further expansion plans to other markets.

Biscoff ice cream around the world

“The partnership allows us to grow Biscoff faster in the ice cream market and further expand globally as a brand,” says Lotus CEO Jan Boone. Biscoff ice cream has been around since 2019, but today it is distributed in only five European countries and the US. By now teaming up with Mondelez partner Froneri, Lotus aims to scale up considerably. For Mondelez, Froneri makes Oreo and Toblerone ice cream, among other products.

The deal stems from a wider collaboration between Lotus and Mondelez. Already last year, Mondelez started producing Biscoff biscuits in India, while the biscuits are also used in chocolate products by Milka and Cadbury. Froneri’s expertise will provide “increased distribution, in-depth knowledge of product development and efficiency in production and logistics through, among other things, local production in key markets,” the company said.

Despite that growth strategy, Lotus Bakeries is facing challenges. The share has already lost 26% of its value this year, partly due to the announcement of limited volume growth of up to 10% due to capacity limits. However, Boone stressed to De Tijd that the company is sticking to ‘controlled and careful growth’, with a steady expansion of production capacity in Belgium, Asia and the US.