Ekselence, one of the leading ice-cream brands in Latvia and a proud member of the international ice-cream group Food Union, has created an innovative range of ice-creams that offer unparalleled gourmet decadence and tap into warm cues of winter with a trendy new ice-cream range that transcends seasons.
“Ekselence is really focused on pushing sensory boundaries and developing products that are inspired by global lifestyle and food trends resulting in flavours that scintillate and excite consumers palates. From the world’s most popular drink coffee to the world’s little-known bird’s milk or milk souffle – Ekselence highlights these flavours on the foundation of creamy ice cream and continues to be at the forefront of the ice cream market,” Sandra Usacheva, Food Union ice cream brand manager, shared the new developments in the range.
“These all-season ice-creams use world class ingredients and tap into consumer desires for winter treats. Ekselence delivers a rich experience that ice-cream and dessert enthusiasts alike can appreciate in the warmth of one’s home and consistently create special moments for families and friends at home with ice cream in sizes for every gathering,” adds Sandra Usacheva.
Ekselence, that is recognized for its culinary artistry in ice-cream, launched a total of 6 novelties for this Autumn/ Winter season, offering rich and saturated flavours in both 0,5 litre and 1 litre boxes. Each ice cream is a culinary artform bringing together texture, layers and flavours into a signature of Ekselence. The products are tailored for true gourmands and deliver warm sensations to be enjoyed as a chilled winter dessert:
The range incorporates 3 flavours in 0,5 litre cardboard tubs:
And 3 flavours in 1 litre packaging:
All 6 new products will be available starting from week 46 nationwide in Latvia.
50 years and still innovating
One of Europe’s leading ice cream and dairy production and distribution groups Food Union is proud to announce an innovation for its legacy ice cream brand Pols – Pols ‘Snow Peaks’ – a box of cocoa glazed ice cream bites in a form of snow peaks. Emphasizing the company’s pedigree of half a decade in ice-cream, this celebratory box of 15-piece individual bite-size frozen delights is the perfect indulgence in the ice-cream confectionery segment. Encased in classic Pols designed and environmentally friendly packaging, the company continues to celebrate the brand’s 50-year anniversary.
With its iconic polar bear, Pols is a signature of an established and trusted ice-cream brand coming from the leading ice-cream producer in Latvia, Food Union. Continuing the snow-inspired theme, and echoing the shape of snow peaks, the new Pols ice cream bites range is chocolate enrobed and filled with the creamy rich, vanilla ice-cream that is the signature of Pols. The harmonious balance of milk chocolate made from cocoa butter is combined with the smooth finish of vanilla ice-cream made from the highest quality milk that will excite taste buds.
“This is about blurring lines of product categories and driving the innovation cycle with creativity,” said Sandra Usacheva, Food Union ice cream brand manager. “Food Union’s group of brands look to its connection with consumers to deliver highly unique ice cream experiences and creating a frozen confectionery that is the next level of innovation.”
Pols is firmly committed to simple, high-quality, natural ingredients with natural stabilisers or emulsifiers. By using creamy milk produced by local farmers, its signature recipe offers farm-fresh goodness and a richness of taste. As a result, the brand and its well-known polar bear logo is recognised as a symbol of excellence in the industry.
The new product was a creation of Food Union’s Riga based Ice Cream Competence Centre, where a talented team of R&D experts carefully develop and test ice cream recipes for both Latvian and export markets. Food Union developed the novelty, using company’s latest ice cream line, the purchase of which two years ago invested about 2 million euros.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
The Pols ‘Snow Peaks’ ice cream bites are served in an easy-to-open and environmentally friendly biodegradable cardboard box, which, when released into the environment, breaks down completely without residue. This completely environmentally friendly packaging solution is used for the first time during the existence of the Pols brand. Each box contains indulgent trays of 15 ice creams with a total weight of 210 grams.
AVAILABILITY
The new “Pols” ice cream bites are already available in the “Food Union” online store in Latvia www.pienaveikals.lv, as well as starting from November will be available in the largest chain stores and small close-to-home shops throughout Latvia and Lithuania.
Food Union Group company Premia, the oldest and largest Estonian ice cream producer that marks its 65th anniversary this year, is venturing into the dairy market by launching curd snacks under its Väike Tom brand, so far known for its ice cream portfolio. This is one among many Food Union Group’s strategic steps to enter Estonian dairy market. The new curd snacks contain no preservatives, artificial colorants, vegetable fats or palm oil, and come packaged in environment-friendly packaging made by 50% of certified bio-based material.
“Little Tom’s (English for Väike Tom) thirst for adventure and cheerfulness characterize the essence of the curd snacks, which is why this blond boy, who has been entertaining, for more than 20 years now, children and adults who love ice cream, is now spearheading a completely new product category. The result is exactly what we wanted: a popular curd snack made from natural components, with a minimum number of ingredients and a pleasant, delicate texture,” Premia CEO Aivar Aus described the new snacks.
The cocoa-glazed Väike Tom curd snacks are available in four different flavors: curd snack with ice cream flavor, curd snack with banana flavor, vanilla curd snack with chocolate chips, and chocolate curd snack with chocolate chips. Premia uses natural flavors and additives to achieve a special taste, for instance, genuine banana additive and chocolate chips. The curd snacks are coated with cocoa glaze made of ingredients commonly used in home cooking, such as cocoa, butter and sugar.
The snacks’ packaging is made of an ISCC-certified material that is 50% bio-based. Since the packaging material is by 50% made of a renewable natural resource – waste from the wood processing industry, it is a more sustainable alternative to conventional packaging.
“This is one among many Food Union Group’s strategic steps to capitalize on Estonian dairy market. In Estonia, as in Latvia, the culture of consuming high-quality and fresh dairy products is widespread, and curd snacks are not new as a category. We are already leading the curd snack category with Kārums produce, while our Väike Tom products come in as a unique combination of clean recipes, excellent taste combinations and sustainable packaging in this saturated product category. We will not stop with it, soon we plan to delight Estonian consumers with other delicious and healthy dairy products,” Normunds Stanevics, Food Union Group CEO comments plans for expansion in the dairy market.
The new Väike Tom curd snacks are sold at COOP, Selver, Rimi, Maxima and Prisma stores across Estonia.
ABOUT PREMIA TKH
AS Premia Tallinna Külmhoone was established in 1956, in 2020 the company was a convincing leader on the Estonian ice cream market with a market share of 39%. Premia’s brands Eriti Rammus and Väike Tom are the top favorites with ice cream lovers in Estonia. The company is part of the international Food Union Group, which includes the leading ice cream and dairy producers in the Baltics, Denmark, Norway, Romania, Russia and Belarus.
ABOUT FOOD UNION
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. A leading, innovative consumer goods company, Food Union develops local brands and delivers delightful products in the premium snacking, ice-cream and dairy categories.
Food Union is a dynamic player in the European dairy and ice cream sector. It paved the way by developing and focusing on the acquisition of leading national brands across Europe. The Group is made up of two of the largest dairy and ice-cream companies in Latvia – Rīgas piena kombināts and Valmieras piens. The Group also includes Estonia’s and Lithuania’s largest ice cream makers Premia TKH and Premia KPC, the leading Danish ice cream producer Premier Is and Danish doorstep-delivery ice cream company Hjem-Is Danmark, Norway’s ice cream company Isbjørn Is and doorstep-delivery ice cream company Den Norske Isbilen, Romanian ice cream maker Alpin 57 Lux, ice cream company Ingman Ice Cream in Belarus, and ice cream company Khladokombinat No.1 in Russia.
Food Union Group is backed by Hong Kong-based investment company Meridian Capital Limited, and one of Asia’s largest private capital firms, PAG.
Food Union, the international dairy and ice cream production and distributing group, is proud to announce one of the icons in its portfolio has celebrated its 50-year anniversary. Pols has cemented its place in the hearts of consumers for half a decade and is now recognized widely as the oldest ice cream brand in Latvia, making it a cornerstone in the Food Union portfolio.
Since its inception in 1971, Pols’ classic recipe has endured as a mark of ‘farm-fresh’ quality and remains unchanged to this day. Pols is highly committed to simple, high-quality, natural ingredients with no preservatives or emulsifiers and perhaps, more than ever, the consumer market values this ethos. By using creamy milk produced by local farmers, its signature recipe offers farm-fresh goodness and a richness of taste. As a result, the brand and its well-known polar bear logo is recognised as a symbol of excellence and innovations in the industry.
Since opening Latvia’s first industrial scale ice-cream factory in 1971, the brand has prided itself on its balance of tradition with an innovative culture which has ensured it remains top of mind and has enjoyed continued success and longevity.
Sandra Usacheva, Pols Brands Manager, said:
“This is a massive achievement in terms of building a brand that not only endures but also innovates, capturing hearts and market-share and during the past 50 years Pols has succeeded at becoming an iconic brand in the Baltic States and is showing impressive results in South East Asia. I feel great pride in having reached this milestone and would like to give my thanks to everyone who has contributed to this landmark achievement throughout Pols’ history.”
From bold formats, bright colors to non-standard sizes and imaginative flavors, Pols’ commitment to innovation has produced a delicious array of top-selling ice cream products throughout its history by:
Normunds Stanevics. CEO of Food Union Group Europe, notes:
“The Food Union portfolio is committed to building a compendium of power-brands that resonate with consumers and offer long-term value. It is the power to endure, grow and innovate over time that cements market leadership and true brand value. Pols, as one of the oldest ice-cream brands in our group, is focused on long-term brand fundamentals that have endured 50 years through being focused on quality, staying true to their roots and yet staying fresh through new innovative formats. We are immensely proud of all they have achieved.”
Over its 50-year history, Pols has continued to grow and offer its products to an expanding international market and currently exports across Baltic States, as well as South East Asian countries including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.