DC Foods, parent company of premium frozen dessert brand Island Way, has appointed Matt Close to its Board of Directors. Close brings 32 years of experience from Unilever, where he most recently served as President of Global Ice Cream. His career there spanned senior international roles in marketing, general management, and category leadership. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to Blantyre Capital.
Rapid Retail Expansion The board appointment comes amid accelerated growth for Island Way.
As of summer 2026, the brand will be in more than 15,000 retail locations after adding over 3,000 new stores in the past year. The brand has secured exclusive launches with Sam's Club and Target. Island Way was recently named to Bain & Company's 2026 Insurgent Brands List, a recognition of its market momentum in the frozen dessert category.
Why It Matters
With Close's ice cream category expertise and track record scaling global brands at Unilever, his addition signals DC Foods' ambition to compete at scale in premium frozen desserts—a category seeing renewed consumer interest in indulgent, higher-margin products.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
