COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 311520

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

44companies1883–1997founding years44still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedFraser & Neave Ltd.
1883
FoundedDole Food Company, Inc.
1894
FoundedMorinaga & Co. Ltd.
1899
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedBlue Bell Creameries L.P.
1907
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedWells' Dairy, Inc.
1917
FoundedWinn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
1928
FoundedUnilever
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedStrauss-Elite Group
1934
FoundedFriendly Ice Cream Corporation
1935
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedSnow Brand Milk Products Company, Ltd.
1950
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedPrairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedGroupe Danone
1966
FoundedGrupo Leche Pascual S.A.
1969
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedYOCREAM International, Inc.
1977
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedCold Stone CreameryFoundedDippin' Dots, Inc.
1988
FoundedRFC Franchising LLC
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedFriesland Coberco Dairy Foods Holding N.V.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Fraser & Neave Ltd. →
Active · founded 1883 · Singapore
One of the largest publicly listed companies in Singapore, Fraser & Neave Ltd.
Fraser & Neave Ltd. →
Active · founded 1883 · Singapore
One of the largest publicly listed companies in Singapore, Fraser & Neave Ltd.
Dole Food Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1894
Best known for its pineapples, Dole Food Company, Inc., is promotes its Dole brand of fresh and packaged food and…
Dole Food Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1894
Best known for its pineapples, Dole Food Company, Inc., is promotes its Dole brand of fresh and packaged food and…
Morinaga & Co. Ltd. →
Active · founded 1899 · Japan
One of Japan's leading candy and confectionery manufacturers, Morinaga & Co.
Morinaga & Co. Ltd. →
Active · founded 1899 · Japan
One of Japan's leading candy and confectionery manufacturers, Morinaga & Co.
Blue Bell Creameries L.P. →
Active · founded 1907
Blue Bell Creameries L.P.
Blue Bell Creameries L.P. →
Active · founded 1907
Blue Bell Creameries L.P.
Wells' Dairy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1917
1920s:Family begins delivering ice cream in Sioux City, Iowa.
Wells' Dairy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1917
1920s:Family begins delivering ice cream in Sioux City, Iowa.
Ezaki Glico Company Ltd. →
Active · founded 1922 · Japan
Ezaki Glico Company Ltd.
Ezaki Glico Company Ltd. →
Active · founded 1922 · Japan
Ezaki Glico Company Ltd.
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1928
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1928
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
Unilever →
Active · founded 1929 · The Netherlands
If the adage 'two heads are better than one' applies to business, then certainly Unilever is a prime example.
Unilever →
Active · founded 1929 · The Netherlands
If the adage 'two heads are better than one' applies to business, then certainly Unilever is a prime example.
Strauss-Elite Group →
Active · founded 1934 · Israel
Merging two of Israel's oldest and largest food companies in 2004, the Strauss-Elite Group has become that country's…
Strauss-Elite Group →
Active · founded 1934 · Israel
Merging two of Israel's oldest and largest food companies in 2004, the Strauss-Elite Group has become that country's…
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation →
Active · founded 1935
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation is one of the top names in ice cream in the northeastern United States.
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation →
Active · founded 1935
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation is one of the top names in ice cream in the northeastern United States.
Northern Foods plc →
Active · founded 1949 · United Kingdom
Northern Foods plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading manufacturers of high-quality fresh foods, supplying the…
Northern Foods plc →
Active · founded 1949 · United Kingdom
Northern Foods plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading manufacturers of high-quality fresh foods, supplying the…
Snow Brand Milk Products Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1950 · Japan
Snow Brand Milk Products Company, Ltd.
Snow Brand Milk Products Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1950 · Japan
Snow Brand Milk Products Company, Ltd.
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Groupe Danone →
Active · founded 1966 · France
Known until 1994 as BSN Groupe S.A., Groupe Danone is one of the largest food companies in the world.
Groupe Danone →
Active · founded 1966 · France
Known until 1994 as BSN Groupe S.A., Groupe Danone is one of the largest food companies in the world.
Grupo Leche Pascual S.A. →
Active · founded 1969 · Spain
Despite the controversy at home, Pascual had in the meantime discovered a strong international market for its UHT…
Grupo Leche Pascual S.A. →
Active · founded 1969 · Spain
Despite the controversy at home, Pascual had in the meantime discovered a strong international market for its UHT…
YOCREAM International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
YOCREAM International, Inc., with corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Portland, Oregon, makes,…
YOCREAM International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
YOCREAM International, Inc., with corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Portland, Oregon, makes,…
Tofutti Brands, Inc. →
Active · founded 1981
1990s:Cream cheese, sour cream, cookies, and egg replacement products are added.
Tofutti Brands, Inc. →
Active · founded 1981
1990s:Cream cheese, sour cream, cookies, and egg replacement products are added.
Cold Stone Creamery →
Active · founded 1988
Cold Stone Creamery operates on an independently owned franchise system of ice creameries headquartered in Scottsdale,…
Cold Stone Creamery →
Active · founded 1988
Cold Stone Creamery operates on an independently owned franchise system of ice creameries headquartered in Scottsdale,…
Dippin' Dots, Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
Dippin' Dots, Inc.
Dippin' Dots, Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
Dippin' Dots, Inc.
RFC Franchising LLC →
Active · founded 1989
RFC Franchising LLC operates the Ritter's Frozen Custard chain of premium ice cream shops.
RFC Franchising LLC →
Active · founded 1989
RFC Franchising LLC operates the Ritter's Frozen Custard chain of premium ice cream shops.
Friesland Coberco Dairy Foods Holding N.V. →
Active · founded 1997 · The Netherlands
Friesland Coberco's acquisition of Nutricia enabled it to claim the number two position among European dairy groups,…
Friesland Coberco Dairy Foods Holding N.V. →
Active · founded 1997 · The Netherlands
Friesland Coberco's acquisition of Nutricia enabled it to claim the number two position among European dairy groups,…
Glanbia plc →
Active · founded 1997 · Ireland
Glanbia plc is Ireland's top dairy foods producer and one of Europe's major dairy food groups, with a significant…
Glanbia plc →
Active · founded 1997 · Ireland
Glanbia plc is Ireland's top dairy foods producer and one of Europe's major dairy food groups, with a significant…
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