Max Kruse Launches Ice Cream Brand Featuring Football Club Colors

Former German national team forward Max Kruse has launched an ice cream brand named “Byce – Ice Cream for True Fans” after concluding his professional football career, according to a report by Sözcü.

The 38-year-old former striker drew inspiration from Germany’s traditional Spaghetti Eis, a dessert shaped to resemble a plate of pasta, Sözcü reported. The brand produces 330-milliliter specialty packages featuring the colors of specific football clubs. Kruse described the concept in an interview with German media.

“Now I make ice cream, especially club ice creams. We work with clubs like Borussia Dortmund and offer ice creams in the colors of each club,” Kruse told Sözcü.

The products are currently available to supporters of Borussia Dortmund, MSV Duisburg, VfL Bochum, Preußen Münster, Fortuna Düsseldorf, and Arminia Bielefeld. Kruse aims to expand the distribution network to include additional teams.

Kruse partners in the enterprise with a close friend he met during his time at Paderborn whose family has a 30-year background in the ice cream industry. The former player works directly in the production process alongside his business partner.

Securing agreements with professional teams proved challenging due to existing exclusive contracts between several German clubs and larger, specialized ice cream manufacturers, Sözcü noted. Despite those hurdles, the venture secured partnerships with notable clubs.

During his playing career in the Bundesliga, Kruse represented Werder Bremen, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Wolfsburg, and Union Berlin. He retired from professional football in 2023 while continuing to play at the amateur level.

Turkish football audiences remember Kruse for his stint with Fenerbahçe during the 2019-2020 season. On June 18, 2020, the German player unilaterally terminated his contract, citing unpaid wages during the coronavirus pandemic, and petitioned FIFA for approximately euros.