Isaly’s Ice Cream Makes its Return to Market
This spring, Isaly’s, one of the most trusted names in the dairy and deli business, is making its return to freezer shelves with Isaly’s Ice Cream. The relaunch of the iconic super-premium ice cream will adhere to Isaly’s family tradition and source only high-quality ingredients including fresh cream and the purest flavors—a commitment to quality that customers have long associated with the Isaly’s name.
Isaly’s Ice Cream flavors will include favorites such as Whitehouse Cherry, Maricopa, Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
The Isaly’s story began in 1833 when Swiss cheese maker Christian Isaly and his family emigrated from the hills of Switzerland to the hills of Monroe County, Ohio to continue the family legacy of cheese making. For years, generations of Isaly’s carried on the family trade and even expanded to dairy farming. But Isaly’s became a household name when Henry Isaly brought his brand of farm-fresh dairy products and deli meats to Pittsburgh from Ohio in the early 1930’s. Here he opened an eponymous line of retail stores that operated as a grocery store meets deli meets ice cream store—and a hometown favorite was born. In its prime there were over 100 Isaly’s shops serving culinary classics such as chipped chopped ham and tall, pointed ice cream cones known as “Skyscraper” cones, made with special scoops.
Isaly’s was well-known for their unusual flavors of ice cream with unusual names like Maricopa, a mix of vanilla ice cream and butterscotch swirls; and Whitehouse Cherry, vanilla ice cream with plump maraschino cherries. The Whitehouse Cherry flavor is a nod to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue’s meticulously landscaped cherry blossoms characteristic of Washington, D.C. The shops also sold a full range of sundaes; cones; milkshakes; and Klondike® bars, originally sold with one random bar made with a pink center indicating that lucky customer received a free Klondike bar.
In the 1980’s, after the Isaly family retired, the baton was passed to long time provisioners and friends the Deily family. After much success, the brand changed hands once more in 2015 when Tim Deily sold it to food industry veterans Jim and Leslee Conroy, owners of Conroy Foods, Inc. The Conroys have been in the food business since 1986 with their introduction of Beano’s Original Deli Condiments. Tim trusted the Conroy family to carry on the incredible legacy of quality associated with the name Isaly’s–keeping the brand, in essence, “all in the family.” Under the Conroys, Isaly’s deli products have met steady demand in food chains and independent stores all over Southwest Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and beyond by remaining passionately committed to preserving Isaly’s tradition and quality.
When investigating a box of Isaly’s memorabilia they received in the purchase, the Conroys discovered an original Skyscraper scoop, an Isaly’s store operational manual, and much to their surprise, all of the original ice cream formulas. The rest, as they say, is history—2017 will mark the return of Isaly’s Ice Cream to grocery store shelves.
Customers can visit Isalys.com for more information and to find their nearest store.
Klondike® is a registered trademark of Unilever USA.
About Isaly’s Ice Cream
Based on generations of Swiss dairy farmer heritage, Isaly’s Ice Cream was established in 1904 with one mission: to make ice cream according to family tradition that customers can trust for consistent freshness, high-quality ingredients, and unbeatable flavor. Now Isaly’s Ice Cream is back with its unique flavors with unusual names. For more information, visit Isalys.com.
