Breyers

Breyers is an American ice cream and frozen dessert brand whose origins date to 1866, when William A. Breyer began making and selling hand-cranked ice cream from his home in Philadelphia. The business initially served neighbors and local customers, then expanded through horse-drawn street deliveries, retail shops, and wholesale production. By 1882, Breyer had five ice cream shops and a delivery service, and in 1896 he opened a wholesale manufacturing plant. The company was formally incorporated as Breyer's Ice Cream Company in 1908 and was producing approximately one million gallons annually by 1918. The brand became part of the consolidation of the American dairy and ice cream industry during the twentieth century. National Dairy Products Corporation, later associated with Sealtest, acquired the company in 1926. National Dairy subsequently purchased the business that became Kraft, and Kraft eventually sold its ice cream brands to Unilever in 1993. Unilever combined Breyers with Gold Bond and Good Humor to form the Good Humor-Breyers division. The last Breyers plant in Philadelphia closed in 1995. In 2007, the division's headquarters were moved to Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, while Canadian operations were based in Toronto. Breyers has traditionally competed as a mainstream packaged ice cream brand, emphasizing familiar flavors, accessible pricing, and broad retail distribution. Its portfolio has expanded beyond conventional dairy ice cream to include frozen dairy desserts and products intended for consumers with particular dietary preferences. Offerings have included sugar-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, dairy-free, vegan, non-GMO, and lower-carbohydrate products marketed under the CarbSmart name. The range is organized around classic flavors, better-for-you products, and varieties containing cookies or branded candy pieces. A significant product and labeling development occurred in 2013, when Unilever introduced frozen dairy desserts containing less butterfat than products legally labeled ice cream under United States standards. The distinction allowed lower-calorie formulations but generated criticism from some consumers who associated Breyers with traditional ice cream and its earlier natural-ingredient positioning. The brand subsequently maintained both ice cream and frozen dairy dessert products, with the portfolio described as approximately 60 percent ice cream and 40 percent frozen dairy desserts in the referenced material. Breyers is also notable for its long-running geographic relationship with Dreyer's, another American ice cream brand. The similar names have caused consumer confusion, particularly in western markets. Dreyer's used the name Edy's Grand in regions where Breyers was established, while retaining Dreyer's branding in the western United States. Breyers nevertheless expanded into the western market during the late twentieth century. In 2025, Breyers was included among Unilever's ice cream brands transferred into The Magnum Ice Cream Company, a standalone ice cream business that also included brands such as Magnum, Ben & Jerry's, and Wall's. The brand therefore remains part of a large international ice cream portfolio while continuing to operate as a consumer-facing Breyers label. Its historical identity rests on longevity, American provenance, recognizable household flavors, and a portfolio spanning conventional ice cream and specialized frozen desserts.

Breyers traces its history to Philadelphia in 1866, when William A. Breyer began producing ice cream by hand and selling it locally. His original recipe used cream, sugar, fruit, and nuts. As demand increased, Breyer moved beyond neighborhood sales, delivering product by horse and wagon and operating five ice cream shops by 1882. A wholesale manufacturing plant opened in 1896, providing the infrastructure for broader distribution. The enterprise was incorporated as Breyer's Ice Cream Company in 1908. By 1918, it was producing about one million gallons of ice cream each year, demonstrating the transition from a local producer to a substantial regional manufacturer. In 1926, the company was acquired by National Dairy Products Corporation, an organization associated with the Sealtest brand. National Dairy later acquired the business that became Kraft, placing Breyers within a progressively larger corporate food portfolio. Kraft sold its ice cream brands to Unilever in 1993. Unilever combined Breyers with Gold Bond and Good Humor to create the Good Humor-Breyers division. The Philadelphia manufacturing connection ended when Unilever closed the company's last plant there in 1995. In 2007, Good Humor-Breyers headquarters were relocated to Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, with Toronto serving as a headquarters location for Canadian operations. During the twenty-first century, Breyers broadened its range beyond conventional ice cream. In 2013, Unilever introduced lower-fat frozen dairy desserts designed partly to support reduced-calorie products. Under United States labeling rules, products with insufficient butterfat and milk solids cannot be labeled ice cream, so the new formulations used the frozen dairy dessert designation. The change produced a consumer reaction because some customers regarded the distinction as a departure from Breyers' traditional identity and earlier natural-ingredient claims. The brand's portfolio now spans conventional ice cream and frozen dairy desserts, including products designed for sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, lactose-free, non-GMO, and lower-carbohydrate preferences. Products are commonly grouped into Classics, Better For You, and Cookies & Candies categories. Breyers also became associated with the geographic branding tension involving Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream. Because the two names sound similar, Dreyer's used Edy's Grand in much of the country while keeping Dreyer's branding west of the Rocky Mountains. Breyers expanded into western markets during the same broad period. In 2025, Unilever incorporated Breyers and several other ice cream brands into The Magnum Ice Cream Company. This restructuring placed the historic American brand within a dedicated global ice cream company while preserving Breyers as a distinct consumer label.

• 2025

  Transferred to The Magnum Ice Cream Company

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  Breyers becomes part of the standalone ice cream company created from Unilever's ice cream business.

• 2013

  Frozen dairy dessert range introduced

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  Breyers adds lower-fat frozen dairy dessert products, expanding beyond products legally labeled ice cream.

• 1995

  Philadelphia plant closes

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  Unilever closes the last Breyers plant in Philadelphia.

• 1993

  Breyers becomes part of Unilever

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  Kraft sells its ice cream brands to Unilever, which combines Breyers with Gold Bond and Good Humor.

• 1926

  Acquired by National Dairy Products Corporation

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  Breyers is acquired by National Dairy Products Corporation, later associated with Sealtest.

• 1918

  Annual production reaches one million gallons

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  The company is reported to be producing approximately one million gallons of ice cream annually.

• 1908

  Breyer's Ice Cream Company incorporated

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  The business becomes a formally incorporated ice cream company.

• 1896

  Wholesale manufacturing plant opens

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  Breyer opens a wholesale production facility to support larger-scale distribution.

• 1882

  Retail shops and delivery service established

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  The growing business operates five ice cream shops and a product delivery service.

• 1866

  William A. Breyer begins selling ice cream in Philadelphia

  [1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  William A. Breyer starts making and selling hand-cranked ice cream from his Philadelphia home.

A long-established, mass-market American frozen dessert brand combining traditional ice cream flavors with lower-calorie and specialty-diet alternatives.

• Ice cream

  Classics

  Breyers' traditional range is centered on familiar ice cream flavors made with milk, cream, sugar, and flavor ingredients derived from natural sources. It represents the brand's classic household positioning and its historical association with conventional dairy ice cream.

• Reduced-calorie frozen desserts · 2013

  Better For You

  This group contains products developed for consumers seeking lower-calorie, lower-carbohydrate, or no-added-sugar alternatives. Depending on the formulation, products may be labeled frozen dairy dessert rather than ice cream under United States standards.

• Flavored ice cream and frozen desserts

  Cookies & Candies

  Cookies & Candies products combine a frozen dairy base with pieces or inclusions such as cookies and branded confectionery. The category extends Breyers beyond plain flavors and targets consumers seeking texture and dessert-style mix-ins.

• Lower-carbohydrate frozen desserts

  CarbSmart

  CarbSmart is Breyers' lower-carbohydrate line for consumers monitoring carbohydrate intake. It forms part of the brand's broader specialty-diet strategy alongside sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and lactose-free offerings.

• 2025

  Move into The Magnum Ice Cream CompanyM&A

  Background

  Unilever reorganized its ice cream operations as a standalone business containing several major international brands.

  Action taken

  Breyers was transferred with Unilever's ice cream portfolio into The Magnum Ice Cream Company.

  Aftermath

  Breyers became part of a dedicated global ice cream group while continuing as a separate brand.

  Source

• 2013

  Expand into frozen dairy dessertsProduct launch

  Background

  Unilever sought to offer lower-calorie products with reduced butterfat. United States labeling requirements distinguish products that do not meet the butterfat and milk-solids threshold for ice cream.

  Action taken

  Breyers introduced frozen dairy dessert formulations alongside its conventional ice cream products.

  Aftermath

  Some consumers objected because they associated Breyers with traditional ice cream and its earlier natural-ingredient positioning.

  Source

• 2025

  Breyers included in Unilever's ice cream demerger[1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Breyers was transferred with other Unilever ice cream brands into The Magnum Ice Cream Company, a standalone ice cream business.

• 2013

  Breyers introduces frozen dairy dessert products[1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Product generation

  Unilever expanded the portfolio with lower-fat products labeled frozen dairy dessert rather than ice cream under United States standards. The move prompted complaints from some consumers who preferred the brand's traditional ice cream positioning.

• 1977

  Breyers and Dreyer's name confusion persists across American markets[1]Breyersen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Dreyer's changed its branding to Edy's Grand in markets where Breyers was established, while retaining Dreyer's branding in the western United States, reflecting longstanding consumer confusion between the names.

1. 1Breyersen.wikipedia.org