Ice cream stocks are far from the cool investment theme they were over the past century. But with global sales expected to exceed $130 billion within the next decade, ice cream takes a big scoop out of the global consumer's dessert budget. From grocery store sales to ice cream parlors, ice cream is a top impulse buy for consumers around the globe -- and a fiercely competitive industry.
Investing in ice cream stocks in 2025
Large conglomerates have acquired most of the ice cream brands in the freezers at our local supermarkets. There are few pure plays on ice cream, and it's far from a fast-growing industry. Nevertheless, if stable growth and income are among your goals, here are some ice cream stocks to consider.
| Company name | Company ticker | Market cap | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Hathaway | NYSE:BRK.A | $1.1 trillion | Diversified Financial Services |
| Berkshire Hathaway | NYSE:BRK.B | $1.1 trillion | Diversified Financial Services |
| Nestlé | OTC:NSRGY | $261.2 billion | Food Products |
| Unilever | NYSE:UL | $152.9 billion | Personal Products |
| General Mills | NYSE:GIS | $25.9 billion | Food Products |
| Shake Shack | NYSE:SHAK | $3.8 billion | Hotels, Restaurants and Leisure |
1. Berkshire Hathaway
Warren Buffett's massive business conglomerate has its hands in nearly every aspect of the economy. Although wholly owned insurance, industrial, and utility businesses feature heavily in the portfolio, so does ice cream, as Berkshire Hathaway owns the fast-food chain Dairy Queen. (You can sometimes spot Buffett munching on a DQ cone or ice cream bar during public events.)
NYSE: BRK.B
Key Data Points
Of the companies on our list, Berkshire Hathaway stock is the least focused on ice cream. Even so, Dairy Queen is a top name in the business and can be an indirect investment with a scoop or two of Buffett's company.
2. Nestlé
The Swiss food and sweets giant is much more focused on ice cream than Berkshire is. Nestlé owns its namesake brand, which specializes in ice cream bars frequently found in convenience stores.
OTC: NSRGY
Key Data Points
In 2019, Nestlé sold its stake in its U.S. ice cream businesses, Dreyer's, Häagen-Dazs, and Drumstick, to its joint venture Froneri (which it owns with French private equity firm PAI Partners). For a top-notch food company that pays a bit of a dividend as well, Nestlé stock is worth a look.
3. Unilever
U.K.-based behemoth Unilever owns hundreds of consumer staples and household goods brands, from soaps and cleaners to personal care items and food products. Its sprawling portfolio includes premium ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, which became famous for its emphasis on political and social issues.
NYSE: UL
Key Data Points
Unilever acquired the "friendly capitalism" champ in 2000. However, its eponymous founders filed a lawsuit in 2024, claiming Unilever had breached a merger agreement by muzzling the company's voice on key social issues. Like some of the other food and household product conglomerates on this list, Unilever is a great stock for investors seeking income.
4. General Mills
While a Nestlé joint venture handles Häagen-Dazs production in the U.S. and Canada, General Mills controls the super-premium ice cream business elsewhere.
NYSE: GIS
Key Data Points
General Mills also dabbles on occasion in ice cream partnerships, allowing other brands to turn its breakfast cereals (such as Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms) into ice cream flavors. General Mills is a slow-moving business but a top dividend income stock.
5. Shake Shack
Shake Shack is a rapidly expanding restaurant chain that specializes in fresh-ground hamburgers, hot dogs, and (as its name suggests) milkshakes.
NYSE: SHAK
Key Data Points
Although they're in a more liquified form, Shake Shack's ice cream products and seasonal rotation of shake flavors are worth a try -- and worth considering as an investment if a growth stock that often exhibits wild up-and-down swings is something you can stomach.
Related investing topics
Betting on the world's sweet tooth
Ice cream is not a major growth investment, and stocks that derive their sales solely from the sweet treat are few and far between. But if you like investing in big, slower-growing but stable food conglomerates, ice cream is worth considering.
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