Nestle Dreyer's Ice Cream Company Inc history

The chocolate, marshmallow and nut flavor was created in late 1930 and was named Rocky Road as a means of describing the ice cream's texture as well as the troubled economic times of the Great Depression.

In 1947 Joe left the business, and William changed its name to Dreyer’s.

Under the leadership of Rogers and Cronk, Dreyer's had introduced its products into the states of Washington, Oregon, and Arizona by 1979, using the company's unique direct-store distribution system.

When Dreyer’s expanded in mid-western and eastern US in 1981, its name clashed with another ice cream brand, Breyers.

In December 1985, Dreyer's made a strategic move to accommodate its growing distribution needs in the eastern United States when it acquired Berliner Foods Corp., a distributor in Maryland, for $8.4 million.

Dreyer's then expanded its product line in 1987 with the introduction of Dreyer's and Edy's Grand Light, the first premium light ice cream in the United States.

Grand Light was quickly accepted by the many consumers who were becoming more and more health-conscious, and by the end of 1988 sales of the product had doubled from the previous year.

Dreyer's continued its product line expansion in 1992 with the unveiling of Dreyer's and Edy's No Sugar Added, which appealed to consumers who wished to limit their sugar consumption for health or dietary reasons.

By early 1994, Dreyer's products were being sold in every major grocery chain in the state of Florida, and the company had entered into an agreement with Sunbelt Distributors, Inc. of Texas to begin distribution of the Dreyer's line of products on a long-term basis.