Wells Enterprises Inc., the maker of Blue Bunny ice cream, has acquired a private-label ice cream manufacturer.

Wells, the No. 3 ice-cream manufacturer in America, announced the purchase of Fieldbrook Foods on April 15, in a bid to increase its geographic coverage. Wells is headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa, and Fieldbrook in Dunkirk, N.Y., with plants there and in Lakewood, N.J.

“The combination creates a stronger platform for growth and positions us to better serve our customers, as well as providing a more geographically diverse footprint for us,” Mike Wells, CEO and president, said in a statement.

Together Wells and Fieldbrook will employ more than 3,800 people and produce close to 200 million gallons of ice cream.

By Pan Demetrakakes, Senior Editor