• Unilever has decided to transfer part of its ice cream production from its factory in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, to its facility in Suceava, Romania, as part of a broader strategy to streamline operations.
Company representatives explained that this process will take several months and is part of Unilever's plan to optimize production and support the long-term sustainable development of the ice cream division. Thus, the volumes produced in Bulgaria will be redistributed to various factories of the group, including the one in Suceava.
In 2018, Unilever took over the ice cream business Betty Ice, from Suceava entrepreneur Vasile Armenean, in a transaction of approximately 80 million euros. Until then, the company had no local ice cream production in Romania, but only import and distribution activities. Since then, the production volume in Romania has grown steadily, and this trend will continue in the coming years. In this context, Unilever will complete by the end of 2025 an investment of 4 million euros in the expansion of the Betty Ice factory in Suceava, in addition to the 12 million euros already invested in the unit in the north of the country in the last four years. After integrating Betty Ice into the portfolio, the factory doubled both the surface area and the production volume, becoming one of the largest ice cream producers in Romania.
Significant production capacity
The Suceava factory now produces over 120 types and varieties of ice cream, in various shapes and sizes. The annual production capacity exceeds 17 million liters of ice cream, and in the warm season, the factory ships over 1.500 pallets per week, equivalent to approximately 10 loaded trucks. During peak season, the number of employees can reach 250.
Unilever representatives stated that the process of reallocating production in Bulgaria is ongoing, and its planning depends on multiple variables, including the production capacities of other units of the group. Currently, more than 50% of ice cream production in Suceava is intended for export, mainly to the UK and other countries in the European Union.
Unilever is one of the largest global suppliers of personal care, home care, beauty, nutrition and ice cream products, with sales in over 190 countries. The Unilever South Central Europe Group, headquartered in Bucharest, coordinates marketing and sales operations in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and Moldova.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor-in-Chief Arta Albă
Read on White Art and: Fiber for a creamy, low-calorie ice cream
