LEMBEKE, BELGIUM — Lotus Bakeries Corp. and Mondelez International have expanded their recent licensing partnership to include UK-based global ice cream manufacturer Froneri International.

Announcing the move this week, Belgium-based Lotus Bakeries said it has partnered with Froneri to accelerate the growth of its Lotus Biscoff brand in the ice cream segment. Plans call for Froneri to begin producing, marketing and selling Biscoff ice cream in several European countries in 2026 and then to gradually expand to other nations.

Biscoff ice cream rolled out internationally in 2019 and generated strong uptake among consumers in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, Lotus Bakeries said, citing the appeal of the products’ combination of crunchy Lotus Biscoff pieces, smooth Biscoff spread and fresh cream.

To capitalize on this “high-potential category,” the company said it aims to ramp up its ice cream portfolio to a global scale by tapping Froneri – one of the biggest players in the international ice cream arena – to help expand market distribution, deepen product development expertise, and advance manufacturing and logistics efficiencies via local production in key markets.

“Partnering with Froneri will unlock new opportunities for Biscoff, allowing us to leverage their extensive expertise in product development, market insights and industry-leading knowledge,” said Jan Boone, chief executive officer of Lotus Bakeries. “This collaboration will strengthen our position in the ice cream sector, enabling Biscoff to grow into a global ice cream brand. Moreover, introducing the Biscoff taste to ice cream consumers worldwide will further boost our brand awareness and the ability of our own organization to focus on Biscoff cookies and spread globally.”

The partnership with Froneri is structured as a sub-license to the licensing pact with Chicago-based Mondelez unveiled last June, according to Lotus Bakeries.

Under that agreement, Lotus Bakeries and Mondelez plan to grow the Lotus Biscoff cookie brand in India and develop new chocolate products that meld Biscoff’s caramelized, crunchy taste and texture with Mondelez’s Cadbury, Milka and other chocolate brands in Europe, with the potential for global expansion. At the time, the companies said the first co-branded products were slated to launch in early 2025, starting with Cadbury and Biscoff in the United Kingdom and Milka and Biscoff in Europe.