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.
1. Berkshire Hathaway
NYSE: BRK.B
Key Data Points
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 (BRK.A +0.08%) (BRK.B +0.15%) owns the fast-food chain Dairy Queen. (You can sometimes spot Buffett munching on a DQ cone or ice cream bar during public events.)
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
OTC: NSRGY
Key Data Points
The Swiss food and sweets giant is much more focused on ice cream than Berkshire. Nestlé (NSRGY +0.18%) owns its namesake brand, which specializes in ice cream bars frequently found in convenience stores.
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
4. General Mills
NYSE: GIS
Key Data Points
While a Nestlé joint venture handles Häagen-Dazs production in the U.S. and Canada, General Mills (GIS +0.83%) controls the super-premium ice cream business elsewhere.
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
NYSE: SHAK
Key Data Points
Shake Shack (SHAK +0.19%) is a rapidly expanding restaurant chain that specializes in fresh-ground hamburgers, hot dogs, and (as its name suggests) milkshakes.
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.
6. McDonald's
NYSE: MCD
Key Data Points
McDonald's (MCD +0.80%) is a global fast-food chain famous for its hamburgers, french fries, and other menu items, including sundaes, shakes, and McFlurries. The company generates revenue from both its company-operated restaurants and a vast franchise network.
McDonald's business model is heavily reliant on real estate holdings and royalties from franchisees, which provides it with a stable and predictable revenue stream that is largely insulated from the daily operational fluctuations of individual restaurants. The company is performing well financially despite a challenging environment, and it offers a reliable and consistently growing dividend.
7. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
NASDAQ: RMCF
Key Data Points
Related investing topics
How to invest in ice cream stocks
If you want to invest in ice cream stocks, here are the steps you need to follow to add these companies to a diversified portfolio.
- Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
About the Author
