Nestle in negotiations to sell ice cream business

In a Feb. 19 press release containing their 2025 financial results and strategic update, Nestle CEO Philipp Navratil said the company was in advanced negotiations to sell its remaining ice cream properties to Froneri.

Froneri was created in 2016 as a joint venture between private equity company PAI Partners and Nestle to look after the ice cream business.

Nestle sold its U.S. ice cream division to Froneri in 2019 for US$4 billion. Froneri’s brands include Häagen-Dazs, Drumstick and Oreo.

Additionally, Nestle will focus on the four core businesses of Coffee, Food and Snacks, Nutrition and Petcare moving forward. Seventy per cent of the company’s sales comes from coffee, nutrition, and pet care.

“We are accelerating our strategy. We are focusing our portfolio on four businesses, led by our strongest brands, with prioritized resources and a simplified organization. We are upgrading our marketing and innovation and increasing investment behind high-potential growth platforms, which now have an expanded scope and represent 30 per cent of sales. We are stepping up our efficiencies and strengthening our financial position. This is underpinned by a performance culture that rewards excellence and results,” Navratil states in the press release.

As part of their changing focus, Nestle will integrate nutrition and health science into a single business and have engaged with potential partners about deconsolidating the waters and premium beverages business by 2027.