Walk down the ice cream aisle this week, and vanilla’s still sitting right up front, same as it’s always been. But look a little closer, and you’ll spot something new: shelf space that used to go to the usual suspects is filling up with brands you might not recognize yet. That’s worth a second look this National Ice Cream Day.
Back in 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared July National Ice Cream Month and set aside the third Sunday for National Ice Cream Day, which lands on July 19 this year. Around that date, a handful of specialty brands are having a real moment, from a Brooklyn shop known for wild collabs to a fourth-generation Cincinnati creamery still hand-making batches. Add two California brands leaning into regenerative dairy and a Utah company chasing the keto crowd, and the freezer case looks different from what it did a few summers ago.
The U.S. ice cream business is still worth $11.6 billion a year and supports nearly 27,000 jobs, per the International Dairy Foods Association. But inside that number, Instacart’s newest data shows a handful of brands growing their share of orders much faster than the category overall.
Van Leeuwen keeps teaming up
Brooklyn’s Van Leeuwen has turned collaborations into a whole strategy, and it’s working: its share of Instacart orders jumped 37% year over year. The brand’s latest is an ube coconut ice cream made with King’s Hawaiian, timed to its nationwide relaunch of sweet rolls this spring. Van Leeuwen also opened three new Virginia scoop shops in June.
Graeter’s sticks with tradition
Cincinnati’s Graeter’s grew its share of ice cream orders by 31%, still hand-cranking batches two and a half gallons at a time in French Pot freezers, a method it’s used since 1870. This summer’s lineup includes a Kings Island collab and a Cherry Sparkler flavor marking the country’s 250th birthday.
2 Petaluma brands bet on dairy
In Petaluma, California, Alec’s Ice Cream posted the biggest jump in Instacart’s report, up 50%, after leaning into regenerative, A2 dairy and landing an $11 million funding round. Nearby, Straus Family Creamery grew 38% and just expanded into Whole Foods nationwide for the first time.
Rebel goes keto
Utah’s Rebel Creamery grew 39%, built on full-fat, no-sugar-added ice cream for keto and low-carb shoppers. It’s now sold in every Walmart, plus select Target, Kroger, Publix and H-E-B locations.
Amy’s proves loyalty still counts
Not every brand needs big growth numbers to matter. Amy’s Ice Creams has stayed close to home in Austin, Houston and San Antonio since 1984, teaming up this spring with Texas beer brand Shiner on a limited-edition flavor.
Vanilla isn’t going anywhere. It’s still the flavor in about 1 in 5 pints ordered. But this July, it’s sharing the spotlight with more competition than usual. Whatever lands in your cart this weekend, there’s a good chance it’s a name you didn’t know a couple of summers ago.
Mandy Applegate is the creator behind Splash of Taste and seven other high-profile food and travel blogs. She’s also the co-founder of Food Drink Life Inc., a unique and highly rewarding collaborative blogger project. Her articles appear frequently on major online news sites, and she always has her eyes open to spot the next big trend.