Glico halts ice cream sales in Thailand, citing strategic market changes

The decision to cease the sale of ice cream products in Thailand by late 2025 was driven by strategic considerations, past performance, and market trends, according to Thai Glico, the Japanese multinational confectionery firm.

The company announced on its "Glico TH" Facebook page on Thursday that it would discontinue its ice cream products in Thailand, stating that customers can still purchase these products until the end of the year. Other Glico products will remain available, the company added.According to Krungthep Turakij, Thai Glico explained that the decision was a strategic move based on market trends, past performance, and the company's long-term plans in the region.

To better allocate resources and maximise value in the market, the company deemed it necessary to stop selling ice cream in Thailand and will instead focus on exploring other growth opportunities.

Glico's ice cream production in Thailand is contracted out to local factories under an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) agreement.

A review of Thai Glico’s past financial performance, as reported to the Department of Business Development (DBD), reveals the following figures:


In 2020, total revenue was 3.91 billion baht, with a net profit of 394.58 million baht.
 
In 2021, total revenue was 4.15 billion baht, with a net profit of 179.44 million baht.
 
In 2022, total revenue was 4.89 billion baht, with a net loss of 1.27 million baht.
 
In 2023, total revenue was 3.49 billion baht, with a net loss of 112.94 million baht.
 
In 2024, total revenue was 3.52 billion baht, with a net profit of 67.35 million baht.




The soft-serve ice cream market in Thailand has heated up in recent years.

Glico ice cream became a popular sensation in Thailand over the past decade, with high customer demand leading to frequent product shortages and viral images of customers fighting to buy the popular cones, especially the favourite flavours among Thai consumers.

However, the Thai ice cream market has changed significantly. New brands, especially soft-serve ice cream, have flooded the market, shifting customer preferences. Local Thai-owned ice cream brands have also ramped up their marketing efforts to capture a larger share of the market.

(2025/07/03-00:00)