Kalte Lust moves production from Olten after record ice-cream summer

Swiss ice-cream maker Kalte Lust had its best year on record in 2026 and is moving production from Olten to a much larger facility in Aarwangen, SRF reported. The company reached its annual sales target in August and exceeded revenue for the same period last year by a third.

The hot summer drove demand, with more than 100,000 litres of ice cream produced in a hotel cellar in Olten. The company has made its ice cream there since it began in 2017, using a production space of just under 20 square metres. Its products are sold across Switzerland through its own outlets, swimming pools, restaurants and a major retailer.

Kalte Lust employs 20 people and says it has outgrown its current premises. Its founders had already seen production limits emerging in 2019, but improved processes helped delay the move. The new facility will offer more than 3,000 square metres. Part of the administration and the company’s ice-cream shop will remain in Olten.

The company makes between 20 and 30 flavours at a time, including chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, and has produced more than 100 varieties. It plans to add ice lollies to its tubs and aims to gain organic certification within two years. More than 80 percent of its ingredients are already organic.

Co-founder Darko Bosnjak said the record summer also brought difficulties. High temperatures kept demand strong, putting staff under pressure, while storms and hail in the Olten region in late August raised concerns about climate change. Kalte Lust’s longer-term ambition is to turn its product from a trend into a classic.