Kazakhstan's Shin-Line Launches Central Asia's Largest Ice Cream Plant and Expands to Middle Eastern Markets
Launched in 2021, the project began transferring production capacity in 2024. Some equipment was relocated from Shin-Line’s previous site in Almaty, while other units were newly purchased. By the end of 2025, production lines for milk, butter, and confectionery bases used in ice cream will also be transferred to the new site. The old factory will then be renovated for a new food production line.
The facility boasts the world’s most powerful pasteurizing unit with a capacity of 30 tons per hour, alongside an additional 10-ton line. According to Shin, the plant will include three production halls. The first is already operational, and the remaining two will be completed by year-end. Total daily capacity is expected to reach 1,000 tons of ice cream. In 2024, production volumes exceeded 30,000 tons, and Shin-Line plans to grow by at least 50% annually, targeting 200,000 tons in the near future.
The plant is equipped with state-of-the-art warehousing, robotics, and artificial intelligence. At -27°C, shuttle systems and stackers handle product movement. Currently, 10 industrial robots and 36 conveyor systems are in use. The first warehouse offers 22,700 pallet spaces, and the second—still under construction—will be fitted with a similar system valued at $10 million.
Simultaneously, the company is expanding its export footprint. In August 2024, Shin-Line signed a memorandum with Saudi Arabia’s Al-alameya Group. “This month, we are shipping our first two containers to Saudi Arabia,” Shin shared during an interview in mid-April. “We’ve waited a long time to complete certification and labeling approvals.”
Reaching meaningful volumes of exports from Kazakhstan will take one to two years beyond 2025. The company aims to deliver 20 containers—about 160 tons—of ice cream to Saudi Arabia in 2025. Despite the long distance, Shin believes the premium positioning of the product will allow Shin-Line to set desirable pricing and distribute in affluent areas. Future markets include Dubai, Kuwait, and Egypt.
Photо: forbes.kz
