PNC Brands Group, parent company of Pivot North Consulting Group and PNC Specialty Foods, has acquired a majority interest in Ice Cream Factory, the family-owned ice cream company based in Lebanon, Missouri.
Founder Shannon Imler will continue to play a central role as Chief Growth Officer, while Gail Kurpgeweit, CEO of PNC Brands Group, will also serve as Chief Executive Officer of Ice Cream Factory.
Ice Cream Factory has earned a loyal following across the Midwest for its handcrafted flavors, small-batch quality, and community roots. The company operates from a restored 90,000-square-foot historic dairy plant in Lebanon, originally built in the 1940s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The facility will remain the brand’s headquarters and manufacturing hub as it enters a new stage of modernization and expansion.
Under PNC’s leadership, Ice Cream Factory will undergo targeted upgrades to maximize efficiency and capacity, including updated processing lines, expanded frozen storage, and a new savory production line to broaden co-manufacturing capabilities. These improvements will strengthen Ice Cream Factory’s position as both a premium producer and a trusted partner for emerging food brands seeking scalable production support.
The acquisition also creates new advantages for PNC’s clients. With Ice Cream Factory’s expanded capacity, PNC can now deliver end-to-end commercialization – from recipe development and formulation to co-manufacturing, packaging, brokerage, and retail distribution – within one vertically integrated platform. This alignment shortens lead times, improves quality control, and reduces costs for restaurant and emerging food brands utilizing PNC’s Menu to Market® system.
Ice Cream Factory’s co-packing clients will also benefit from PNC’s broader infrastructure, gaining access to R&D expertise, brand development, and national brokerage and distribution channels. Together, these resources provide a true one-stop platform for food brands ready to scale.