Kalte Lust plans relocation to Aarwangen and expansion of production

Kalte Lust, an ice cream maker based in Olten, Switzerland, achieved the best fiscal year in its history during the summer of 2026, reaching its annual revenue targets by August and exceeding the previous year’s sales figures by one-third due to sustained high temperatures, srf.ch reported. The company distributes its products through its own sales points, lidos, restaurants, and a major retailer across Switzerland.

Production Pressures and Supply Chain Constraints in Olten

Over the course of images and the recent hot summer, the team produced more than 100,000 liters of ice cream within a tight 20-square-meter footprint, maintaining a manual production approach despite the growth. Mitgründer Darko Bosnjak noted that the business operates under tight logistical margins. Once products are ready, a logistics provider collects them immediately to prevent storage blockages that would halt subsequent production days. The small and medium-sized enterprise employs 20 staff members, and Bosnjak noted that employees were at their limit, wishing the season had already finished by August due to the relentless demand driven by high temperatures, while a few days of rain would have offered welcome relief.

During peak summer weeks, production batches scale up to between 1,000 and 2,000 liters per flavor. While the company usually offers 20 to 30 flavors at a time and features a catalog boasting more than 100 distinct varieties—including vegan coffee, cherry blossom with tonka bean and bergamot, yogurt-apricot with sweet clover, and a one-time Olma bratwurst ice cream alongside monthly limited editions during the summer—classic chocolate remains the dominant volume driver alongside vanilla and strawberry combinations. Alongside tub ice cream, the facility also produces and freezes shells for gelaterias.

Despite the commercial success, Bosnjak expressed mixed feelings about the weather, stating, Es ist Ende September und immer noch 25 Grad. He added that climate change and its consequences, such as the severe storms and hail damage in the Olten region at the end of August, give him cause for concern. The need for expansion had already become apparent in 2019, though the company managed to delay the relocation by optimizing its operational processes.

Relocation to Aarwangen and Expansion Plans

The firm’s administration and local gelateria will remain anchored in Olten. Bosnjak stated that the company plans to introduce stick ice cream formats alongside its traditional tub packaging and aims to secure organic certification within the next two years, building on a supply chain where over 80 percent of ingredients already meet organic standards.