No one knows exactly when ice cream was invented, although we know that frozen desserts were introduced into the royal courts of England and France during the 16th Century. The ability to produce ice cream as we know it today paralleled the invention of effective cooling and freezing technologies, and the first industrial ice cream production facility was established in Baltimore in 1851.
Look in today’s supermarket freezers and you will find traditional recipes side-by-side with increasingly popular ‘healthy’ options, including non-dairy, plant-based ice creams, frozen yoghurts, and reduced fat/sugar/calorie products are winning consumer favor. Gluten-free, vegan and even probiotic ice creams cater for special diets. It is a highly diverse, truly global market that is broadly expected to reach up to $89 billion by 2025.
GEA knows your business
Winning market share in this highly competitive space means having the flexibility to anticipate and meet new trends head on, develop new recipes and incorporate new ingredients into processes. Your consumers expect authentic flavors, consistently smooth and silky textures, and visually appealing form and color. But manufacturers must also maintain safety, quality, cost-effectiveness and meet sustainability goals. And that means improving energy and resource efficiency, recycling heat and water where possible, and reducing waste.
It is a tall order. It is why the industry worldwide relies on GEA’s knowhow and expertise in ice cream processing, technology and engineering. We configure and install complete process lines for every step of manufacture, from milk and ingredients reception, through to final wrapping, packaging and storage. Our versatile components and equipment are designed to help address key challenges associated with handling and processing multiple and diverse ingredients.
Tailor-made and flexible
From efficient separation, evaporation, homogenization and pasteurization systems to state-of-the-art refrigeration and water-efficient clean-in-place plants, we tailor the best technologies to address your main pain points. User-friendly, enterprise-wide automation software and hardware solutions help to optimize every process line and operating parameter, without tying you in too expensive, complicated service and upgrade plans.
Versatility is key, and flexible plants designed by GEA can be configured to handle perhaps 500 different recipes. Our aim is to help you improve productivity and profitability, reduce delays and bottlenecks and so speed the return on your equipment investment and overall cost effectiveness of your plants.
GEA project specialists work with you to unpick and understand your current and projected future requirements and expectations. We take care of every detail, and always work hard to deliver projects on time, and to budget, however complex. Talk to your local GEA team to find out more.
Products & Technologies
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Aseptic valves & components
Aseptic valves face exceptionally high demands within UltraClean and Aseptic processes. You can be assured that they all provide highest quality in terms of hygienic design and sustainability.
Belts
Through unique robustness and interlocking design, GEA Q-belt ensures a more reliable stacking system. Our enhanced patented interlocking system ensures robust, more stable stacking and minimize friction between tiers of long belts.
Carton Freezers
GEA carton freezers can freeze or chill your food products in cartons, plastic totes or shrink-wrap.
Centrifugal Separator
GEA separators are designed for liquid-based applications. Using centrifugal force, they are used for separating suspensions consisting of two or more phases of different densities, i.e. they can be used for liquid-liquid separation, for liquid-liquid-solid separation or for liquid-solid separation. They are equally as effective at separating liq...
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GEA Insights
Making milk production more sustainable for a growing world
The world's population is growing and with it demand for milk. Dairy is an essential component of many global diets. However, its production can be resource-intensive and impact the environment. GEA’s Christian Müller, Senior Director Sustainability Farm Technologies, sheds light on how technological innovations powered by GEA make milk production more efficient and profitable.
Clean machines safe food: The power of hygienic design
Every safe beverage and bite of food is a victory against invisible microbial threats – a battle shaped by a century of hygienic process design. With more than 100 years of engineering and hygienic design know-how, GEA sets the industry standard for processing equipment that protects food and saves lives.
Filtration sensation: The washing machine principle
Engineering innovation often takes the form of incremental gains. Once in a while, it takes a leap. Case in point: The washing machine. Launched in September 2022, two new GEA software solutions are upending convention and delivering similarly dramatic efficiency gains in the resource-intensive process of membrane filtration.
