New CEO appointed for ice cream producer and distributor Alpin57Lux – Mihaela Cuturescu

As of November 17, Mihaela Cuturescu, the former CFO of Alpin57Lux, has been appointed the new CEO of Alpin57Lux, Romanian ice cream producer located in Sebes, Alba region. With decades of experience since its foundation in 1994 and continuous growth and focus on innovation, Alpin57Lux is among leading traditional players in ice cream, frozen food and pastry segments. Alpin57Lux employs over 500 people and produces over 100 SKUs with more than 10 brands, among which the most popular ones are premium ice cream Transalpina, heritage ice cream brand Fulg de Nea, low cal ice cream Suplette and kid’s ice cream brand Fixiki. Since 2016 Alpin57Lux is a part of international ice cream and dairy player Food Union Group.

 “I am happy and grateful to be entrusted with leading the dedicated and passionate team of Alpin57Lux in our quest to accelerate the company’s growth. I have many plans to continue the transformation, energy, and determination for this new chapter. I think that we must capitalize on our strengths as a Romanian producer with a long-standing tradition, but also to have the courage to constantly innovate in a field full of life and effervescence,” comments Mihaela Cuturescu, CEO of Alpin57Lux, part of Food Union Group.

Mihaela Cuturescu has more than 15 years of experience in corporate finance with significant expertise in a range of processes part of transaction cycle, from origination to deployment in Romania. Previously, Mihaela was the Manager of Transaction Advisory Services at EY Romania, where she accumulated 10 years of experience in due diligence, corporate finance, financial external audit in healthcare, power and utilities, industrial goods, telecom or FMCG sectors. With Alpin57Lux joining the Food Union Group in 2016, Mihaela became the company’s CFO.

“Mihaela has been present at every step of the way of Alpin 57 Lux’s story since joining the Food Union Group. Over the years, we have managed to make several significant changes to the organization to keep pace with today’s business and market environment. I am pleased that she will now take over and continue building the organization that proudly represents both Romanian ice cream making traditions as well as consumer-centric innovations to stand the test of a complex and fairly saturated market of Romania,” adds Normunds Stanevics, CEO of Food Union Group in Europe. 

ABOUT ALPIN57LUX

Alpin 57 Lux is one of the largest ice cream companies in Romania. Founded by Ioan Istrate as family business in 1994, the company became part of the international ice cream and dairy player Food Union Group in 2016.  With decades of experience since its foundation and continuous growth and focus on innovation, Alpin 57 Lux is among leading traditional players in ice cream, pastry and frozen food segments. Alpin 57 Lux employs over 500 people and produces over 100 SKUs with more than 10 brands, among which the most popular ones are premium ice cream Transalpina, Fulg de Nea – black cone won “Product of the year title for innovating in ice cream category” in 2021, heritage ice cream brands like Polar and Sandwich, low callories ice cream Suplette and kid’s ice cream brands like Tedi (licensed brand, owned by Maspex Group Poland).

Since 2001 Alpin 57 Lux began production and distribution of a wide range of pastries and frozen bakery, taking up around 20% of total sales of Alpin 57 Lux together with frozen food. Alpin 57 Lux operates in the factory in Sebeș, Alba County. The factory is located on a new industrial platform, with modern production and storage spaces complying with IFS Food version 7, ISO 22 000:2018 and BSCI – The Business Social Compliance Initiative. Founder of Alpin57Lux, Ioan Istrate, remains with the company, as a non-executive member of the Board and Chairman.

ABOUT FOOD UNION

Food Union is a leading, innovative consumer goods company that develops local brands and delivers delightful products in Europe, Belarus, Russia, China and Pacific Asia. Food Union is currently the leading ice cream producer in the Baltics and Denmark, and the group holds a strong market position in Norway, Romania, Russia and Belarus.

Food Union Group is a dynamic player in the European dairy sector. They paved the way by developing and focusing on the acquisition of leading national brands across Europe. The Group is made up of the two of the largest dairy and ice-cream companies in Latvia – Rīgas piena kombināts and Valmieras piens. The Group also includes companies such as: Estonia’s and Lithuania’s largest ice cream makers Premia TKH and Premia KPC, the leading Danish ice cream producer Premier Is and Danish door-step-delivery ice cream company Hjem Is, Norway’s ice cream company Isbjørn Is and door-step-delivery ice cream company Den Norske Isbilen, Romanian ice cream maker Alpin57Lux, and ice cream company Ingman Ice Cream in Belarus and ice cream company Khladokombinat No.1 in Russia. The leading dairy group is backed by Hong Kong-based investment company Meridian Capital Limited, and one of Asia’s largest private capital firms PAG.