In 2025, 3.44bn litres of ice cream were produced within the European Union. This represents an increase of 1.9 per cent compared with 2024. Germany is the largest ice cream producer in the European Union, with production of 608m litres in 2025. It is followed by Italy, France, Spain and Belgium.

Compared with 2024, there was an increase in ice cream production in all five ice cream-producing countries in 2025. In Italy, the increase was 10 per cent; in Belgium, 6 per cent; in France, 4 per cent; in Spain, 2 per cent; and in Germany, production rose by 0.2 per cent.

In 2025, the Member States of the European Union exported 289.8m litres of ice cream to third countries and imported 77.8m litres. Exports rose by 10 per cent compared with 2024, whilst imports increased by 12 per cent. France was the largest ice cream exporter in the European Union, with exports of 59.1m litres to third countries. It was followed by Italy, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

Photo: CP Kelco