For over a century, Breyers has been America’s go-to for creamy, delicious ice cream that brings joy to every scoop. From hand-cranked beginnings in Philadelphia to becoming a household favorite, we’ve stayed true to our promise of high-quality ingredients and wholesome values. Take a sweet journey through our history and get the inside scoop on what makes Breyers an American staple.
The Rich History of Breyers Ice Cream
Breyers’ story begins in 1866 when founder William Breyer combined rich cream, sugar, nuts, and a lot of elbow grease and hand-cranked his first batch of ice cream.
He started selling the delicious product to his neighbours and quickly the demand grew throughout Philadelphia, so much that Breyer started delivering his ice cream via a horse-drawn wagon.
Exactly 30 years later, in 1896 the Breyer family opened their first production plant, under the direction of William’s son, Henry. By 1918, Breyers was churning up over a million gallons of ice cream a year. In 1926, the company was acquired by National Dairy Products Co., soon to become Kraft Inc.
Key innovations, such as the introduction of new flavors and the development of rich, creamy textures, have kept Breyers at the forefront of the ice cream industry. In 1993, Breyers became part of Unilever’s Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream Company.
In 2016, we celebrated 150 years of our history and we’re proud to keep bringing sweetness to tables across the nation like William did with his first hand-cranked pint of ice cream.
