Carte D'Or Vanilla Madagascan ice cream

Carte D'Or is a premium ice cream brand with a rich culinary heritage, originally launched in France in 1978. It was first developed by the French confectionery company Cogesal to serve the high-end catering and restaurant sector before becoming a stapled brand in retail supermarkets across Europe. In Spain, the brand is closely associated with Frigo, a historical local ice cream company founded in Barcelona in 1927.

Currently, the brand is part of the global ice cream portfolio of Unilever. However, as part of a major corporate restructuring announced in 2024 and finalized in 2025-2026, Unilever spun off its ice cream division into a standalone entity often referred to as 'The Magnum Ice Cream Company'. This new entity now manages iconic brands like Carte D'Or, Wall’s, and Ben & Jerry's globally.

Manufacturing for the Spanish market occurs across various European facilities depending on the specific product line, with major production hubs located in Italy, France, and Germany. Despite its international production, the brand maintains a strong local presence in Spain through its network of 'Gelaterías Carte D'Or' and is distributed by Unilever España S.A. based in Viladecans, Barcelona.