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'''Breyers''' is an [[ice cream]] and frozen dessert brand with headquarters in [[Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey]].<ref name="unilever">{{cite web |title=Breyers |url=https://www.unileverusa.com/brands/ice-cream/breyers/ |publisher=Unilever |access-date=19 November 2024 |date=2024}}</ref> Since 1993, Breyers has been owned and managed by the British [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]], [[Unilever]].<ref name=unilever/><ref name="breyers-about">{{cite web|title=About Breyers History|url=https://www.breyers.com/us/en/about.html|publisher=Breyers|date=2024|access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref> Founded in 1866, Breyers is the oldest manufacturer of ice cream in the United States.<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Good-HumorBreyers-Ice-Cream-Company-Company-History.html |title=History of Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream Company|website=Fundinguniverse.com|publisher=Unilever|date=1996 |access-date=September 10, 2018}}</ref>
'''Breyers''' is an [[ice cream]] and frozen dessert brand with headquarters in [[Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey]]. Founded in 1866, it is one of the oldest ice cream companies in the United States.


Breyers makes products described as ice cream or as ''frozen dairy desserts''.<ref name="riddle">{{Cite web |last=Riddle |first=Holly |date=2 February 2023 |title=The Untold Truth Of Breyers |url=https://www.mashed.com/339136/the-untold-truth-of-breyers/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |publisher=Mashed |language=en-US}}</ref> Its products range from traditional dairy desserts to those for specialty diet concerns, such as sugar-free, [[Gluten-free diet|gluten-free]], [[Milk allergy|dairy-free]], and [[veganism|vegan]].<ref name=riddle/>
Since 1993, Breyers has been owned and managed by the British [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]], [[Unilever]].<ref name="unilever">{{cite web |title=Breyers |url=https://www.unileverusa.com/brands/ice-cream/breyers/ |publisher=Unilever |access-date=19 November 2024 |date=2024}}</ref><ref name="breyers-about">{{cite web|title=About Breyers History|url=https://www.breyers.com/us/en/about.html|date=2024|access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>


⚫
Breyers is one of the ten best-selling ice cream brands globally,<ref name="ziady1">{{cite news |last=Ziady |first=Hanna|title= Ben & Jerry's and Magnum will form the core of an $8 billion ice cream company|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/19/food/unilever-ice-cream-spinoff-ben-jerrys/index.html |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=CNN |date=19 March 2024}}</ref> and was fourth among American brands with sales of $498 million in 2022.<ref name="berk">{{cite web |last=Berk |first=Brian |title=2022 State of the Industry: Ice cream category sees bright future ahead |url=https://www.dairyfoods.com/articles/95998-2022-state-of-the-industry-ice-cream-category-sees-bright-future-ahead |publisher=Dairy Foods |access-date=19 November 2024 |date=22 November 2022}}</ref>
Breyers manufactures dessert products described as ice cream or as ''frozen dairy desserts''. It is among the best-selling ice cream brands in the United States, having 2022 sales of $498 million.

When global ice cream sales declined in 2023, Unilever announced plans to sell its ice cream companies, including Breyers, by the end of 2025.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |last=Ziady |first=Hanna|title= Ben & Jerry's and Magnum will form the core of an $8 billion ice cream company|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/19/food/unilever-ice-cream-spinoff-ben-jerrys/index.html |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=CNN |date=19 March 2024}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
[[File:Breyer ice cream truck newspaper.png|thumb|Breyer ice cream truck, c. 1915]]
[[File:Breyer ice cream truck newspaper.png|thumb|Breyer ice cream truck, c. 1915]]
In 1866, William A. Breyer began to produce and sell ice cream in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]].<ref name="Ettinger2017">{{cite book|author=Amy Ettinger|title=Sweet Spot: An Ice Cream Binge Across America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jBBGDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA15|date=27 June 2017|publisher=Penguin Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-101-98420-8|page=15}}</ref> The ice cream was hand cranked and made from cream, sugar, and nuts.<ref name="riddle"/> He first sold it to his neighbors from his home, and later via horse and wagon on the streets as demand for the product grew.<ref name="riddle"/> By 1882, Breyer had five ice cream shops and a delivery service for the product. He opened a wholesale manufacturing plant in 1896.<ref name="riddle"/> Breyer's Ice Cream Company was incorporated in 1908.<ref>{{cite news |title=Breyers Ice Cream sign salesman's catalog, 1948 |url=https://archives.lib.duke.edu/catalog/breyerscatalog |access-date=26 November 2024 |publisher=Duke University Library}}</ref> By 1918, Breyers produced one million [[gallon]]s of ice cream annually.<ref name=breyers-about/>
In 1866, William A. Breyer began to produce and sell ice cream in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]].<ref name=History/><ref name="Ettinger2017">{{cite book|author=Amy Ettinger|title=Sweet Spot: An Ice Cream Binge Across America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jBBGDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA15|date=27 June 2017|publisher=Penguin Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-101-98420-8|page=15}}</ref> The ice cream was hand-cranked and made from cream, sugar, fruit, and nuts.<ref name=History/><ref name="riddle"/> He first sold it to his neighbors from his home, and later via horse and wagon on the streets of Philadelphia as demand for the product grew.<ref name="riddle"/> By 1882, Breyer had five ice cream shops and a delivery service for the product.<ref name=riddle/> He opened a wholesale manufacturing plant in 1896.<ref name="riddle"/> Breyer's Ice Cream Company was incorporated in 1908.<ref name=History/><ref>{{cite news |title=Breyers Ice Cream sign salesman's catalog, 1948 |url=https://archives.lib.duke.edu/catalog/breyerscatalog |access-date=26 November 2024 |publisher=Duke University Library}}</ref> By 1918, Breyers produced one million [[gallon]]s of ice cream annually.<ref name=breyers-about/>


The formerly independent Breyers Ice Cream Company was sold to the [[National Dairy Products Corporation]]/[[Sealtest Dairy|Sealtest]] in 1926.<ref name="ivey">{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/91f158124296f2a3cbc1a5b80e61e49b|title=Ice Cream Factory Closing After 128 Years; 240 Jobs Melting Away|last=Ivey|first=Dave|work=The Associated Press|access-date=2019-08-08}}</ref> National Dairy then changed its name to Kraftco in 1968, and [[Kraft Foods|Kraft]] by 1975. Kraft sold its ice cream brands to Unilever in 1993, while retaining the rights to the name for yogurt products.<ref name=breyers-about/><ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Good-HumorBreyers-Ice-Cream-Company-Company-History.html |title=History of Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream Company|website=Fundinguniverse.com|publisher=Unilever|date=1996 |access-date=September 10, 2018}}</ref>
Breyers Ice Cream Company was sold to the [[National Dairy Products Corporation]]/[[Sealtest Dairy|Sealtest]] in 1926.<ref name="ivey">{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/91f158124296f2a3cbc1a5b80e61e49b|title=Ice Cream Factory Closing After 128 Years; 240 Jobs Melting Away|last=Ivey|first=Dave|work=The Associated Press|access-date=2019-08-08}}</ref> In 1930, National Dairy purchased the company that later become known as [[Kraft Foods|Kraft]] by 1975.<ref name=History/><ref name="riddle">{{Cite web |last=Riddle |first=Holly |date=2 February 2023 |title=The Untold Truth Of Breyers |url=https://www.mashed.com/339136/the-untold-truth-of-breyers/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |publisher=Mashed |language=en-US}}</ref>


Unilever purchased Breyers ice cream and merged it with Gold Bond and [[Good Humor]] ice cream to create the [[Good Humor-Breyers]] division.<ref name=breyers-about/> Kraft retained the rights to produce Breyers-branded yogurt.<ref name="Goff">{{cite book |last1=Goff |first1=H. Douglas |last2=Hartel |first2=Richard W. |title=Ice Cream |date=2013 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-1-4614-6096-1 |page=12 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWJDAAAAQBAJ&q=breyers |access-date=July 25, 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="NYT3">{{cite news |title=Unilever to Gain Breyers In Kraft Ice Cream Deal |last=Janofsky |first=Michael |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/09/business/company-news-unilever-to-gain-breyers-in-kraft-ice-cream-deal.html |work=The New York Times |date=September 9, 1993 |accessdate=July 12, 2024}}</ref> Unilever closed its last Breyers plant in Philadelphia in 1995.<ref name=ivey/> Good Humor-Breyers moved its headquarters from [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]], to [[Toronto]] and [[Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey]] in 2007.<ref name="MBJ1">{{cite news |title=Unilever to close Green Bay office |last1= |first1= |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2007/10/08/daily32.html |work=Milwaukee Business Journal |date=October 11, 2007 |accessdate=July 15, 2024}}</ref>
Kraft sold its ice cream brands to Unilever in 1993, while retaining the rights to the name for yogurt products.<ref name="History"/><ref name="Goff">{{cite book |last1=Goff |first1=H. Douglas |last2=Hartel |first2=Richard W. |title=Ice Cream |date=2013 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-1-4614-6096-1 |page=12 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWJDAAAAQBAJ&q=breyers |access-date=July 25, 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="NYT3">{{cite news |title=Unilever to Gain Breyers In Kraft Ice Cream Deal |last=Janofsky |first=Michael |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/09/business/company-news-unilever-to-gain-breyers-in-kraft-ice-cream-deal.html |work=The New York Times |date=September 9, 1993 |accessdate=July 12, 2024}}</ref>
In 1993, Unilever merged Breyers ice cream with Gold Bond and [[Good Humor]] ice cream to create the [[Good Humor-Breyers]] division.<ref name=History/><ref name=breyers-about/> Unilever closed its last Breyers plant in Philadelphia in 1995.<ref name=ivey/> The Good Humor-Breyers headquarters were moved from [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]] and [[Oakville, Ontario]] to [[Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey]] and [[Toronto]] in 2007.<ref name="csp">{{cite news |title=One Unilever|url=https://www.cspdailynews.com/snacks-candy/one-unilever |work=CSP Daily News |date=16 October 2007 |accessdate=2 December 2024}}</ref>

Part of the Unilever ice cream group,<ref name="unilever-group">{{cite web |title=Our Compass Organisation: introducing Unilever's five new Business Groups |url=https://www.unilever.com/news/news-search/2022/our-compass-organisation-introducing-unilevers-five-new-business-groups/ |publisher=Unilever |access-date=2 December 2024 |date=7 October 2022}}</ref> Breyers is among the world's top-10 most valued ice cream brands.<ref name=ziady1/><ref name="ziady2">{{cite news |last=Ziady |first=Hanna |title=This company conquered the ice cream market. Home delivery is the final frontier |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/14/business/unilever-ice-cream/index.html |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=CNN |date=10 November 2020}}</ref> With $498 million in 2022 sales, Breyers was fourth among American brands.<ref name=berk/>


==Products==
==Products==
Breyers groups its dozens of products in three flavor categories:<ref name="products">{{cite web |title=Breyers - All Flavors |url=https://www.breyers.com/us/en/products.html |publisher=Breyers |access-date=19 November 2024 |date=2024}}</ref>
Breyers manufactures its frozen desserts to be either "original ice cream" or "frozen dairy dessert".<ref name=riddle/><ref name="products">{{cite web |date=2024 |title=Breyers - All Flavors |url=https://www.breyers.com/us/en/products.html |access-date=19 November 2024 |publisher=Breyers}}</ref><ref name="demas">{{Cite web |last=Demas |first=Alex |date=21 May 2024 |title=Claims That Breyers Doesn't Sell 'Real' Ice Cream Are False |url=https://thedispatch.com/article/claims-that-breyers-doesnt-sell-real-ice-cream-are-false/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |publisher=The Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref> Some 60% of Breyers products are ice cream and 40% are frozen dairy desserts.<ref name="riddle" />
* ''Classics'' made with milk and cream with natural colors and flavors,
* ''Better For You'' desserts manufactured to be low in calories with lower [[carbohydrate]] content and no sugar added for flavor
* ''Cookies & Candies'', which contain pieces of cookies or branded candies.


Breyers also manufactures products for consumers with specialty diets, such as sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, [[Genetically modified organism|non-GMO]], [[Lactose intolerance|lactose-free]], and "CarbSmart" for people preferring low-[[carbohydrate]] desserts.<ref name=riddle/>
Generally by choice of ingredients, Breyers manufactures its frozen desserts to be either "original ice cream" or "frozen dairy dessert", both in numerous variations of composition, flavors, and consumer preferences for specialty diets.<ref name=products/><ref name="riddle">{{Cite web |last=Riddle |first=Holly |date=2 February 2023 |title=The Untold Truth Of Breyers |url=https://www.mashed.com/339136/the-untold-truth-of-breyers/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |publisher=Mashed |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="demas">{{Cite web |last=Demas |first=Alex |date=21 May 2024 |title=Claims That Breyers Doesn't Sell 'Real' Ice Cream Are False |url=https://thedispatch.com/article/claims-that-breyers-doesnt-sell-real-ice-cream-are-false/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |publisher=The Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref> Some 60% of Breyers products are ice cream and 40% are frozen dairy desserts.<ref name=riddle/>


Examples of ice cream in the Breyers ''Classics'' category include "Homemade Vanilla", "Chocolate", and "Cherry Vanilla".<ref name=products/> ''Better For You'' products include those made to be [[gluten]]-free, [[lactose]]-free, sugar-free, and "CarbSmart", among others.<ref name=products/> The ''Cookies & Candies'' category has products made with branded ingredients, such as [[peanut butter]], [[fudge]], [[toffee]] or cookie pieces.<ref name=products/>
Breyers groups its products in three flavor categories that include ''Classics'' (made with milk and cream with natural colors and flavors), ''Better For You'' desserts (manufactured to be low in calories with lower carbohydrate content and no sugar added for flavor), and ''Cookies & Candies'' (which contain pieces of cookies or branded candies).<ref name="products"/>

In the United States, the [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) ingredient requirements for frozen dessert products are defined in [[Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations]], subchapter B.<ref name="cfr">{{cite web |title=Frozen desserts, Title 21, Subchapter B, Part 135 |url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-135 |publisher=Code of Federal Regulations, US Food and Drug Administration |access-date=13 November 2024 |date=27 March 1998}}</ref> As detailed in Part 135.110, the FDA regulation for ice cream manufacturing requires the contents of [[Butterfat|milk fat]] and total milk solids to not be less than 10% for each component.<ref name=cfr/> Breyers original ice cream products in the ''Classics'' category contain at least 10% milk fat and total milk solids to meet the regulated ingredient requirements.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=demas/> (see [[Nutrition Facts label]] for each product).<ref name=products/>


===Ice cream===
===Ice cream===
Breyers is one of the oldest manufacturers of ice cream in the United States.<ref name="delish">{{cite web |last=Braun Davison|first=Candace |title=11 Things You Should Know Before Buying Breyers Ice Cream |url=https://www.delish.com/food-news/g3540/things-you-should-know-before-buying-breyers-ice-cream/ |publisher=Delish |access-date=13 November 2024 |date=9 August 2016}}</ref>
Founded in 1866, Breyers is the oldest manufacturer of ice cream in the United States.<ref name=History/><ref name="delish">{{cite web |last=Braun Davison|first=Candace |title=11 Things You Should Know Before Buying Breyers Ice Cream |url=https://www.delish.com/food-news/g3540/things-you-should-know-before-buying-breyers-ice-cream/ |publisher=Delish |access-date=13 November 2024 |date=9 August 2016}}</ref>


Breyers ice cream products are made from milk, cream, sugar, [[Tara_spinosa#Tara gum|tara gum]], and flavors derived from natural sources, such as [[vanilla]].<ref name=products/><ref name=demas/> Since 2016, Breyers has participated in a partnership with the [[Rainforest Alliance]] to produce its vanilla flavors from sustainably-sourced vanilla beans.<ref name=riddle/><ref name="vanilla">{{cite web |title=Breyers: Certification Seal for Vanilla |url=https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/find-certified/breyers/ |publisher=Rainforest Alliance |access-date=19 November 2024 |date=2024}}</ref> Vanilla is a best-selling brand of Breyers ice cream.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=delish/>
Breyers ice cream products are made from milk, cream, sugar, [[Tara_spinosa#Tara gum|tara gum]], and flavors derived from natural sources, such as [[vanilla]].<ref name=riddle/><ref name=products/><ref name=demas/>

As an example of the composition of Breyers ice cream, the sugar-free vanilla ice cream is 68% water, 22% [[carbohydrate]]s, 6% fat, and 4% [[protein (nutrient)|protein]].<ref name="fdc-van-ice">{{cite web |title=Breyers ice cream, sugar-free, vanilla per 100 g |url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170264/nutrients |publisher=FoodData Central, US Department of Agriculture |access-date=13 November 2024 |date=1 April 2019}}</ref> In a reference amount of {{cvt|100|g}}, the Breyers sugar-free ice cream provides 143 [[calorie]]s of [[food energy]].<ref name=fdc-van-ice/>


===Frozen dairy dessert===
===Frozen dairy dessert===
Breyers ''frozen dairy desserts'' are manufactured with [[skimmed milk|skim milk]], [[corn syrup]] (or [[maltitol]] syrup), sugar or a [[sugar substitute]], [[polydextrose]], [[Glycerol|glycerin]], and various other ingredients that may include [[whey]], [[Locust bean gum|carob bean gum]], [[guar gum]], [[carrageenan]], and [[food additive|added]] [[micronutrient]]s.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=fdc-bb/> Breyers ''frozen dairy dessert'' products are manufactured specifically to be different from the original ice cream products with the intent to provide a smoother texture, less fat, and lower calories.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=demas/>
Unilever claims that Breyers ''frozen dairy dessert'' products are made to be different from standard ice cream, stating they have smoother texture, less fat, and lower calories.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=demas/>


As an example of composition in a Breyers frozen dairy dessert, the product ''Birthday Blast'' is 38% carbohydrates, 7% fat, and 4% protein.<ref name="fdc-bb">{{cite web |title=Birthday Blast, Breyers Frozen Dairy Dessert per 100 g|url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2030771/nutrients |publisher=FoodData Central, US Department of Agriculture |access-date=13 November 2024 |date=28 October 2021}}</ref> In a reference amount of {{cvt|100|g}}, the Breyers ''Birthday Blast'' frozen dairy dessert provides 228 calories of food energy.<ref name=fdc-bb/>
Breyers ''frozen dairy desserts'' are manufactured with [[skimmed milk|skim milk]], [[corn syrup]] (or [[maltitol]] syrup), sugar or a [[sugar substitute]], [[polydextrose]], [[Glycerol|glycerin]], and various other ingredients that may include [[whey]], [[Locust bean gum|carob bean gum]], [[guar gum]], [[carrageenan]], and [[food additive|added]] [[micronutrient]]s.<ref name=riddle/><ref name="fdc-bb">{{cite web |title=Birthday Blast, Breyers Frozen Dairy Dessert per 100 g|url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2030771/nutrients |publisher=FoodData Central, US Department of Agriculture |access-date=13 November 2024 |date=28 October 2021}}</ref>


===Consumer concerns and feedback===
===Consumer concerns and feedback===
In 2013, Breyers introduced frozen desserts made with [[food additive]]s (section above) that were intended to create smooth, low-calorie products.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=demas/> However, the new desserts evoked complaints by consumers who were accustomed to the traditional "all-natural" Breyers ice cream.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=demas/><ref name="barry">{{cite news |last=Barry |first=Dan |title=Ice Cream’s Identity Crisis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/17/dining/remembering-when-breyers-ice-cream-was-you-know-ice-cream.html |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=15 April 2013}}</ref>
In 2013, Breyers introduced frozen desserts made with [[food additive]]s (section above) that were intended to create smooth, low-calorie products.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=demas/> However, the new desserts evoked complaints by some consumers who were accustomed to the traditional "all-natural" Breyers ice cream.<ref name=riddle/><ref name=demas/><ref name="barry">{{cite news |last=Barry |first=Dan |title=Ice Cream's Identity Crisis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/17/dining/remembering-when-breyers-ice-cream-was-you-know-ice-cream.html |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=15 April 2013}}</ref> A 2013 book indicated that some flavors of Breyer's ice cream contained [[propylene glycol]] as an additive to make ice cream easier to scoop.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Zinczenko |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2aWaAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA175 |title=Eat It to Beat It!: Banish Belly Fat-and Take Back Your Health-While Eating the Brand-Name Foods You Love! |date=2013-12-31 |publisher=Random House Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-345-54794-1 |page=175 |language=en}}</ref>{{better source|date=December 2024}} As of 2024, the ingredients list of individual Breyers products indicates that propylene glycol is no longer used as an additive.<ref name=products/>

A 2014 report indicated that some flavors of Breyer's ice cream contained [[propylene glycol]] as an additive.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Duprey |first=Rich |date=November 1, 2014 |title=FDA Says Antifreeze Ingredient Propylene Glycol Is Safe to Eat - Have You Had Your Fill Today? |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/business/fool/article/FDA-Says-Antifreeze-Ingredient-Propylene-Glycol-5863153.php |work=[[Seattle Post Intelligencer]]}}</ref> According to another source, propylene glycol was formulated into Breyer's fat-free and Carb Smart ice cream to make it easier to scoop.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Zinczenko |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2aWaAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA175 |title=Eat It to Beat It!: Banish Belly Fat-and Take Back Your Health-While Eating the Brand-Name Foods You Love! |date=2013-12-31 |publisher=Random House Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-345-54794-1 |page=175 |language=en}}</ref> In the small quantities used for making ice cream and numerous manufactured foods, propylene glycol is considered [[generally recognized as safe|GRAS]] and is an approved food additive in the United States.<ref name="gras">{{cite web |title=Propylene glycol, Subpart B - Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS, Sec. 184.1666 (original 25 June 1982) |url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=184.1666 |publisher=Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, US Food and Drug Administration |access-date=20 November 2024 |date=30 August 2024}}</ref> As of 2024, the ingredients list of individual Breyers products indicates that propylene glycol is no longer used as an additive (view Ingredients and Nutrition, click on ''smartlabel'').<ref name=products/>

In a 2022 survey of consumer preferences for ice cream and ''Better For You'' frozen dairy desserts, including Breyers products, "all-natural" and a short list mainly of dairy ingredients with natural sweeteners, reduced sugar or no added sugar were the preferred attributes.<ref name="sipple">{{cite journal |vauthors=Sipple LR, Racette CM, Schiano AN, Drake MA |title=Consumer perception of ice cream and frozen desserts in the "better-for-you" category |journal=Journal of Dairy Science |volume=105 |issue=1 |pages=154–169 |date=January 2022 |pmid=34763919 |doi=10.3168/jds.2021-21029 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030221010006|doi-access=free }}</ref>


===Discontinued yogurt===
===Discontinued yogurt===
The yogurt was manufactured under license from Unilever at an upstate New York facility until the licensing agreement was terminated and the Breyers Yogurt line was discontinued in April 2011.<ref name="North Lawrence">[http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110118/NEWS05/301189949 North Lawrence Dairy Done] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110127102328/http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110118/NEWS05/301189949 |date=2011-01-27 }}, ''Watertown Daily Times'', January 18, 2011</ref> Catterton continued to produce [[Yocrunch|YoCrunch]] yogurt but without the Breyers co-branding until it sold the company in August 2013 to [[Danone|Group Danone]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://finance.danone.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=95168&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1846408|title=Danone acquires YoCrunch, a mix-in toppings specialist, to support continued yogurt growth in the USA|website=Finance.danone.com|date=August 2013|access-date=2015-03-24|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150412015246/http://finance.danone.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=95168&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1846408|archive-date=2015-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-08-09/danone-buys-yocrunch-yogurt-topping-maker-to-grow-in-u-s-|title=Danone Buys YoCrunch Yogurt-Topping Maker to Grow in U.S.|website=Bloomberg.com|date=August 2013}}</ref>
The yogurt was manufactured under license from Unilever at an upstate New York facility until the licensing agreement was terminated and the Breyers Yogurt line was discontinued in April 2011.<ref name="North Lawrence">[http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110118/NEWS05/301189949 North Lawrence Dairy Done] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110127102328/http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110118/NEWS05/301189949 |date=2011-01-27 }}, ''Watertown Daily Times'', January 18, 2011</ref> Catterton continued to produce [[Yocrunch|YoCrunch]] yogurt but without the Breyers co-branding until it sold the company in August 2013 to [[Danone|Group Danone]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://finance.danone.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=95168&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1846408|title=Danone acquires YoCrunch, a mix-in toppings specialist, to support continued yogurt growth in the USA|website=Finance.danone.com|date=August 2013|access-date=2015-03-24|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150412015246/http://finance.danone.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=95168&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1846408|archive-date=2015-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-08-09/danone-buys-yocrunch-yogurt-topping-maker-to-grow-in-u-s-|title=Danone Buys YoCrunch Yogurt-Topping Maker to Grow in U.S.|website=Bloomberg.com|date=August 2013}}</ref>

==Commerce==
⚫
Breyers is part of the Unilever ice cream group of companies, which include [[Ben & Jerry's]], [[Wall's (ice cream)|Wall's]], [[Magnum (ice cream)|Magnum]], and others.<ref name=cnn/><ref name="unilever-group">{{cite web |title=Our Compass Organisation: introducing Unilever’s five new Business Groups |url=https://www.unilever.com/news/news-search/2022/our-compass-organisation-introducing-unilevers-five-new-business-groups/ |publisher=Unilever |access-date=20 November 2024 |date=7 October 2022}}</ref> In 2022, Breyers had $498 million of sales revenue in the United States.<ref name="berk">{{cite web |last=Berk |first=Brian |title=2022 State of the Industry: Ice cream category sees bright future ahead |url=https://www.dairyfoods.com/articles/95998-2022-state-of-the-industry-ice-cream-category-sees-bright-future-ahead |publisher=Dairy Foods |access-date=19 November 2024 |date=22 November 2022}}</ref>

When 2023 ice cream sales declined globally, Unilever announced that it would divest its ice cream group of companies, including Breyers, by the end of 2025.<ref name=cnn/>


==Confusion with Dreyer's==
==Confusion with Dreyer's==

Latest revision as of 06:05, 12 December 2024

Not to be confused with Bryers or Dreyer's.
This article is about the ice cream brand. For the brand of model horses, see Breyer Animal Creations. For the singular for the plural, see Breyer (disambiguation).
Brand logo
Product typeFrozen dessert
OwnerUnilever
CountryUnited States
Introduced1866; 158 years ago (1866)
Previous ownersKraft Foods Inc.
Websitebreyers.com

Breyers is an ice cream and frozen dessert brand with headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.[1] Since 1993, Breyers has been owned and managed by the British conglomerate, Unilever.[1][2] Founded in 1866, Breyers is the oldest manufacturer of ice cream in the United States.[3]

Breyers makes products described as ice cream or as frozen dairy desserts.[4] Its products range from traditional dairy desserts to those for specialty diet concerns, such as sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.[4]

Breyers is one of the ten best-selling ice cream brands globally,[5] and was fourth among American brands with sales of $498 million in 2022.[6]

History

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Breyer ice cream truck, c. 1915

In 1866, William A. Breyer began to produce and sell ice cream in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[3][7] The ice cream was hand-cranked and made from cream, sugar, fruit, and nuts.[3][4] He first sold it to his neighbors from his home, and later via horse and wagon on the streets of Philadelphia as demand for the product grew.[4] By 1882, Breyer had five ice cream shops and a delivery service for the product.[4] He opened a wholesale manufacturing plant in 1896.[4] Breyer's Ice Cream Company was incorporated in 1908.[3][8] By 1918, Breyers produced one million gallons of ice cream annually.[2]

Breyers Ice Cream Company was sold to the National Dairy Products Corporation/Sealtest in 1926.[9] In 1930, National Dairy purchased the company that later become known as Kraft by 1975.[3][4]

Kraft sold its ice cream brands to Unilever in 1993, while retaining the rights to the name for yogurt products.[3][10][11]

In 1993, Unilever merged Breyers ice cream with Gold Bond and Good Humor ice cream to create the Good Humor-Breyers division.[3][2] Unilever closed its last Breyers plant in Philadelphia in 1995.[9] The Good Humor-Breyers headquarters were moved from Green Bay, Wisconsin and Oakville, Ontario to Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and Toronto in 2007.[12]

Part of the Unilever ice cream group,[13] Breyers is among the world's top-10 most valued ice cream brands.[5][14] With $498 million in 2022 sales, Breyers was fourth among American brands.[6]

Products

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Breyers manufactures its frozen desserts to be either "original ice cream" or "frozen dairy dessert".[4][15][16] Some 60% of Breyers products are ice cream and 40% are frozen dairy desserts.[4]

Breyers also manufactures products for consumers with specialty diets, such as sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, non-GMO, lactose-free, and "CarbSmart" for people preferring low-carbohydrate desserts.[4]

Breyers groups its products in three flavor categories that include Classics (made with milk and cream with natural colors and flavors), Better For You desserts (manufactured to be low in calories with lower carbohydrate content and no sugar added for flavor), and Cookies & Candies (which contain pieces of cookies or branded candies).[15]

Ice cream

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Founded in 1866, Breyers is the oldest manufacturer of ice cream in the United States.[3][17]

Breyers ice cream products are made from milk, cream, sugar, tara gum, and flavors derived from natural sources, such as vanilla.[4][15][16]

Frozen dairy dessert

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Unilever claims that Breyers frozen dairy dessert products are made to be different from standard ice cream, stating they have smoother texture, less fat, and lower calories.[4][16]

Breyers frozen dairy desserts are manufactured with skim milk, corn syrup (or maltitol syrup), sugar or a sugar substitute, polydextrose, glycerin, and various other ingredients that may include whey, carob bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, and added micronutrients.[4][18]

Consumer concerns and feedback

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In 2013, Breyers introduced frozen desserts made with food additives (section above) that were intended to create smooth, low-calorie products.[4][16] However, the new desserts evoked complaints by some consumers who were accustomed to the traditional "all-natural" Breyers ice cream.[4][16][19] A 2013 book indicated that some flavors of Breyer's ice cream contained propylene glycol as an additive to make ice cream easier to scoop.[20][better source needed] As of 2024, the ingredients list of individual Breyers products indicates that propylene glycol is no longer used as an additive.[15]

Discontinued yogurt

[edit]

The yogurt was manufactured under license from Unilever at an upstate New York facility until the licensing agreement was terminated and the Breyers Yogurt line was discontinued in April 2011.[21] Catterton continued to produce YoCrunch yogurt but without the Breyers co-branding until it sold the company in August 2013 to Group Danone.[22][23]

Confusion with Dreyer's

[edit]

In the Western United States and Texas, Breyers ice cream is sometimes confused with Dreyer's ice cream.[3][24] Henry Breyer founded Breyers in 1908, while William Dreyer and Joseph Edy co-founded Edy's Grand Ice Cream in 1928 in Oakland, California.[2][3]

The root of the confusion dates to 1953 when "Edy's Grand Ice Cream" was changed to "Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream".[3] Seeking to eliminate the confusion this created, Dreyer's changed its brand name in the home market of Breyers from "Dreyer's Grand" back to "Edy's Grand" in 1981.[25] Around that same time, Breyers had begun an expansion toward the West Coast — the home market of Dreyer's — and by the mid-1980s, was distributing ice cream throughout the western United States and Texas.[25] Unlike Dreyer's, Breyers kept its brand name nationally, and as a result, both Breyers and Dreyer's can be found on store shelves in the western United States and Texas.[25]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Breyers". Unilever. 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "About Breyers History". Breyers. 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "History of Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream Company". Fundinguniverse.com. Unilever. 1996. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Riddle, Holly (2 February 2023). "The Untold Truth Of Breyers". Mashed. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b Ziady, Hanna (19 March 2024). "Ben & Jerry's and Magnum will form the core of an $8 billion ice cream company". CNN. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b Berk, Brian (22 November 2022). "2022 State of the Industry: Ice cream category sees bright future ahead". Dairy Foods. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  7. ^ Amy Ettinger (27 June 2017). Sweet Spot: An Ice Cream Binge Across America. Penguin Publishing Group. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-101-98420-8.
  8. ^ "Breyers Ice Cream sign salesman's catalog, 1948". Duke University Library. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  9. ^ a b Ivey, Dave. "Ice Cream Factory Closing After 128 Years; 240 Jobs Melting Away". The Associated Press. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  10. ^ Goff, H. Douglas; Hartel, Richard W. (2013). Ice Cream. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-4614-6096-1. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  11. ^ Janofsky, Michael (9 September 1993). "Unilever to Gain Breyers In Kraft Ice Cream Deal". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  12. ^ "One Unilever". CSP Daily News. 16 October 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Our Compass Organisation: introducing Unilever's five new Business Groups". Unilever. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  14. ^ Ziady, Hanna (10 November 2020). "This company conquered the ice cream market. Home delivery is the final frontier". CNN. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  15. ^ a b c d "Breyers - All Flavors". Breyers. 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d e Demas, Alex (21 May 2024). "Claims That Breyers Doesn't Sell 'Real' Ice Cream Are False". The Dispatch. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  17. ^ Braun Davison, Candace (9 August 2016). "11 Things You Should Know Before Buying Breyers Ice Cream". Delish. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Birthday Blast, Breyers Frozen Dairy Dessert per 100 g". FoodData Central, US Department of Agriculture. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  19. ^ Barry, Dan (15 April 2013). "Ice Cream's Identity Crisis". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  20. ^ Zinczenko, David (31 December 2013). Eat It to Beat It!: Banish Belly Fat-and Take Back Your Health-While Eating the Brand-Name Foods You Love!. Random House Publishing Group. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-345-54794-1.
  21. ^ North Lawrence Dairy Done Archived 2011-01-27 at the Wayback Machine, Watertown Daily Times, January 18, 2011
  22. ^ "Danone acquires YoCrunch, a mix-in toppings specialist, to support continued yogurt growth in the USA". Finance.danone.com. August 2013. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  23. ^ "Danone Buys YoCrunch Yogurt-Topping Maker to Grow in U.S." Bloomberg.com. August 2013.
  24. ^ Gellene, Denise (19 June 1986). "East vs. West in Ice Cream Fight: Breyers' Attempt to Scoop Dreyer's Breeds Confusion". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  25. ^ a b c "Dreyer's: Our Story". IceCream.com. 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
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