Ice cream is a beloved frozen dessert enjoyed by people of all ages. With countless flavors and varieties on the market, ice cream lovers are spoiled for choice. One seasonal flavor that pops up on supermarket shelves every winter is peppermint ice cream. The cool, minty flavor is popular around the holidays. But does Breyers, one of the largest ice cream brands in America, offer their own peppermint ice cream?
The Breyers Ice Cream Brand
Breyers is an iconic ice cream brand with a long history in the United States. The company was founded by William Breyer in 1866 in Philadelphia, originally selling his ice cream creations off of a push cart. The business grew rapidly and by 1908, Breyers was the largest ice cream manufacturer in the country. Some fun facts about the early days of the Breyers company:
- Breyers delivered their ice cream to homes by horse-drawn wagons in the late 1800s.
- In the early 1900s, Breyers was the first American ice cream brand to use pasteurized cream and milk, allowing them to distribute pre-packaged ice cream to retailers.
- Breyers was the first ice cream brand in the U.S. to introduce chocolate-covered ice cream bars, introducing the Klondike bar in 1922.
Today, Breyers is owned by consumer goods corporation Unilever but maintains its status as one of the top selling ice cream brands in America. Some key facts about present-day Breyers:
- Breyers controls 10% of the U.S. ice cream market.
- Popular Breyers ice cream flavors include vanilla, chocolate, cookies & cream, mint chocolate chip, and oreo cookies ‘n cream.
- Breyers produces dozens of different ice cream varieties including cones, bars, pints, and personal cup servings.
- Breyers makes over 250 million gallons of ice cream each year.
- Breyers became the first national brand to be certified Kosher in 1936 and they still maintain their Kosher certification today.
With such a strong legacy and mammoth production capacity, Breyers has the resources to produce just about any ice cream flavor they want. But do they make a peppermint ice cream variety?
The Appeal of Peppermint Ice Cream
Peppermint ice cream has a lot going for it. The burst of minty flavor is refreshing. Peppermint extract adds a natural coolness to ice cream, providing a chilling sensation that complements the frozen treat. And nothing gets people more excited for Christmas than seeing candy cane stripes swirling through creamy white peppermint ice cream. Some reasons why peppermint ice cream is so popular:
- The cool minty flavor is energizing and picks you up.
- It’s reminiscent of childhood holidays and wintertime nostalgia.
- Dark chocolate chunks sprinkled throughout peppermint ice cream create flavor contrast.
- The creaminess balances out the intensity of the peppermint.
- It pairs perfectly with so many holiday desserts like cakes, cookies, and pies.
Peppermint ice cream seems to capture the very essence of the holiday season in one perfect scoop. Major ice cream brands know that customers get excited for this special seasonal flavor. So is Breyers missing out by not offering their own peppermint ice cream?
Does Breyers Produce Peppermint Ice Cream?
After looking at the current lineup of Breyers ice cream offerings, here is the definitive answer:
No, Breyers does not currently produce a peppermint ice cream variety.
Some key points:
- Breyers does offer many popular seasonal flavors, but peppermint is not among them.
- The Breyers seasonal flavors webpage makes no mention of peppermint.
- Breyers manufactures their holiday flavors, like eggnog and pumpkin pie, for a very limited time. Peppermint is not included in their holiday lineup.
- The full list of all Breyers flavors, including special editions, does not include peppermint.
- Breyers does offer several minty flavors, but none with actual peppermint like candy cane pieces.
While Breyers produces delicious ice creams loved by many, peppermint sadly does not seem to be one of them. Customers craving that minty holiday flavor will have to look for it from other major ice cream brands.
Other Brands Offering Peppermint Ice Cream
Although Breyers may not offer it, plenty of other ice cream companies have peppermint in their product lineup. Here are some of the major national brands producing peppermint ice cream for the holiday season:
| Brand | Peppermint Ice Cream Offerings |
|---|---|
| Ben & Jerry’s | Peppermint Stick |
| Blue Bell | Peppermint |
| Cold Stone Creamery | Peppermint Perfection |
| Edy’s | Slow Churned Peppermint Stick |
| Häagen-Dazs | Peppermint Bark |
| Talenti | Peppermint Bark Gelato |
As this table shows, many popular ice cream brands offer festive peppermint flavors around the holiday season. Even without Breyers, ice cream lovers still have great options to get their peppermint fix each winter.
Notable Peppermint Ice Creams
Two peppermint ice creams deserve special mention:
Ben & Jerry’s Peppermint Stick
Ben & Jerry’s take on peppermint ice cream perfectly balances minty flavor with sweet indulgence. Peppermint extract swirls through vanilla ice cream studded with chunks of chocolate and crunchy candy cane pieces. It’s a quintessential peppermint ice cream experience.
Häagen-Dazs Peppermint Bark
This gourmet peppermint ice cream incorporates artisanal touches. Sweet cream ice cream gets swirled with ribbons of peppermint, then mixed with broken pieces of custom peppermint bark candy made from dark chocolate and candy canes. A touch of luxury perfect for holiday celebrations.
Conclusion
While Breyers may not offer their own peppermint ice cream variety at the moment, plenty of other major ice cream brands give consumers delicious options each holiday season. The vivid red and white swirls of peppermint create a festive and delicious ice cream flavor that both kids and adults love. Even without Breyers in the mix, ice cream fans can still satisfy their craving for this minty holiday treat.