POLAR, IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE

POLAR, IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE

Who we are

Polar Ice Cream is a proudly South African company that is recognized as a major manufacturer, distributor and exporter of ice cream and frozen confection into the South African market and beyond. The company has been producing high quality ice cream since 1990 and the extraordinary growth over the past 33 years is measured by the index of product availability in the market and by the number of novelties introduced annually in various ice cream segments, including innovative solutions in production technology.

The idea for Polar Ice Cream dates back to the early 1990s.

Market research at the time seemed to indicate that South Africans do not eat as much ice cream as other nations with similar climates. Statistics showed that each person consumed an estimated 2 litres of ice cream per year – one of the lowest rates in the developed world. The British ate four times more ice cream, the Swedes nearly eight times and the Americans thirteen times as much ice cream as we did in South Africa.

Out of this low consumption figure, Polar Ice Cream was born – its vision to offer quality ice cream at an affordable price that could be enjoyed by all the people of South Africa.

Today, we are an established manufacturer and distributor of ice cream to the South African market. The company has two manufacturing facilities, one in Cape Town and the other in Gauteng – both FSSC 22000 accredited and export approved. There is also a distribution centre in Kwazulu-Natal.

Our entire product range conforms to Halaal standards and consists, broadly speaking, of the following:

Stick Novelties
Ice Cream
Soft Serve
Artisinal

Our entire product range conforms to Halaal standards and consists, broadly speaking, of the following:

Stick Novelties
Ice Cream
Soft Serve
Artisinal

Our Commitment to Food Safety and Quality

Both manufacturing facilities in Cape Town and Gauteng were established to meet the best possible quality standards and are governed by the FSSC 22000 food management system, the highest accreditation a food manufacturing facility can achieve in South Africa. We pride ourselves on good manufacturing and hygiene practices. Our company has well-established laboratories that are equipped with the most advanced technology for microbiological testing and sensory, physical, and chemical analyses of ice cream. We also ensure that all raw materials and packaging are sourced from approved suppliers complying with local and international quality and safety standards.

FSC-204-POLAR-ICE-CREAM-COMPANY-Exp-2-Sept-2025-1-cropped
Click To Enlarge FSSC

Our Commitment to Food Safety and Quality

Both manufacturing facilities in Cape Town and Gauteng were established to meet the best possible quality standards and is governed by the FSSC 22000 food management system, the highest accreditation a food manufacturing facility can achieve in South Africa. Our company prides itself on good manufacturing and hygiene practices that houses well established laboratories equipped with the most advanced technology for microbiological testing and sensory, physical and chemical analysis of ice cream. We also ensure that all raw materials and packaging are sourced from approved suppliers complying with local and international quality and safety standards.

FSC-204-POLAR-ICE-CREAM-COMPANY-Exp-2-Sept-2025-1-cropped
Click To Enlarge FSSC

Product Development

Polar Ice Cream is constantly reinforcing its position as a market leader with innovation and product development to bring a unique taste of ice cream by our R&D department to meet the always increasing consumer demand. The recent and ongoing achievement of winning top awards at the annual SA Dairy Championships is testament to the work of our dedicated R&D team to ultimately deliver the best quality products but at half the price of the competition.

Click Here to View our Awards

Polar-Awards-2022

Product Development

Polar Ice Cream is constantly reinforcing its position as a market leader with innovation and product development to bring a unique taste of ice cream by our R&D department to meet the always increasing consumer demand. The recent and ongoing achievement of winning top awards at the annual SA Dairy Championships is testament to the work of our dedicated R&D team to ultimately deliver the best quality products but at half the price of the competition.

Click Here to View our Awards

Polar-Awards-2022

Sales and Distribution

With optimum cold chain achievement and customer satisfaction as the primary target, the company has carefully chosen a route to market that will ultimately achieve this. Our products are sold through dedicated factory shops strategically situated around the country and distributed via a combination of company-owned trucks and outsourced refrigerated vehicles. The company also continues to invest in new cold storage warehousing which increases the flexibility to satisfy the needs and requirements of existing and future customers.

Sales and Distribution

With optimum cold chain achievement and customer satisfaction as the primary target, the company has carefully chosen a route to market that will ultimately achieve this. Our products are sold through dedicated factory shops strategically situated around the country and distributed via a combination of company-owned trucks and outsourced refrigerated vehicles. The company also continues to invest in new cold storage warehousing which increases the flexibility to satisfy the needs and requirements of existing and future customers.

A key component of our business model is our emphasis on employment in general.

Apart from the direct employment of many economically disadvantaged persons at our factories, there is also an unquantifiable level of employment generated by the selling of our ice cream in the informal sector across our rainbow nation. The impact of this in terms of developing economic empowerment and, more important, in nurturing an ethos of entrepreneurship should not be underestimated.

A key component of our business model is our emphasis on employment in general.

Apart from the direct employment of many economically disadvantaged persons at our factories, there is also an unquantifiable level of employment generated by the selling of our ice cream in the informal sector across our rainbow nation. The impact of this in terms of developing economic empowerment and, more important, in nurturing an ethos of entrepreneurship should not be underestimated.

Our management structure is hands-on and consists of a young team, hungry for success but even more eager to satisfy the needs and demands of an ever-diverse consumer market.

Our basket of customers today is diverse and includes wholesalers, supermarkets, retailers, schools, restaurants and ice cream parlours. We are small enough to offer clients an individualized and personal service that caters for specific demands. At the same time, we are large enough to offer our consumers the benefits of bulk buying and economies of scale in production.

Our investment in state-of-the-art equipment is backed by our own distributional network of specially refrigerated trucks.

In this way, we guarantee the efficiency of the cold-chain from manufacture right up to the point of retail.

Our investment in state-of-the-art equipment is backed by our own distributional network of specially refrigerated trucks.

In this way, we guarantee the efficiency of the cold-chain from manufacture right up to the point of retail.

OUR PHILOSOPHY ABOUT QUALITY & PRICING OF OUR PRODUCTS

At some of the times, our products may cost 5c a serving more. At most of the times, it will cost at least 50c a serving cheaper. Either way, our quality is in a class of its own. You buy it because you know you will enjoy it.

OUR PHILOSOPHY ABOUT QUALITY & PRICING OF OUR PRODUCTS

At some of the times, our products may cost 5c a serving more. At most of the times, it will cost at least 50c a serving cheaper. Either way, our quality is in a class of its own. You buy it because you know you will enjoy it.

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