Are there sustainable or health-conscious ice cream brands to invest in?

It is definitely possible to invest in sustainable and health-conscious ice cream brands, although just a few smaller, independent brands are publicly traded. As an individual retail investor, your best option could be to invest in large food conglomerates that own eco-friendly or healthy ice cream lines.

How does seasonality affect ice cream stock performance?

Ice cream brands are heavily affected by seasonality, with sales typically peaking during the warmer summer months and declining in colder periods. The actual stock performance of major ice cream brands is more complex and influenced by broader market trends as well as overall financial performance.

What are the top 3 ice cream companies?

Three of the top ice cream companies are include Ben & Jerry's (now part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company), General Mills (owner of Häagen-Dazs), and Baskin-Robbins, a subsidiary of Inspire Brands, a privately owned holding company.

Do ice cream companies pay dividends?

Many publicly traded ice cream companies pay dividends, including General Mills and Nestlé.

Are ice cream stocks recession-proof?

Ice cream stocks haven't proven to be inherently recession-proof as they are part of the consumer discretionary sector, which can be hurt during a downturn. However, some companies within the broader food and beverage or consumer staples sectors can be more resilient even when consumer wallets are constrained.

Are ice cream stocks suitable for conservative or aggressive investors?

Ice cream stocks are generally best suited for conservative to moderate investors because they are often housed within large, stable consumer staples conglomerates or slower-growth brands. Many of the top ice cream stocks are dividend payers, which can maximize your returns on top of share price increases.

What is the oldest ice cream brand?

Bassetts Ice Cream, founded in 1861 by Lewis Dubois Bassett in Salem, New Jersey, is considered to be the oldest ice cream company in the United States. It is a family-owned business, and is based in Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market. It is not a public company.

Best Ice Cream Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

An in-depth look at the leading ice cream stocks in the U.S stock market this year. Here's what you need to know.

By Rachel Warren – Updated Feb 13, 2026 at 12:43 PM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Ice cream stocks are stable, with few fast-growing pure plays and mostly large conglomerates.
Nestlé and General Mills offer dividends and control significant ice cream brands.
Investing options vary from conglomerates like Berkshire Hathaway to pure plays like Magnum Ice Cream.

Ice cream stocks are far from the cool investment theme they were over the past century. But with global sales still soaring, 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.

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Scoops of multiple flavors of ice cream. — Image source: Getty Images.

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Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market cap	Dividend yield	Industry
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKA)	$1.1 trillion	0.00%	Diversified Financial Services
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKB)	$1.1 trillion	0.00%	Diversified Financial Services
Nestlé (OTC:NSRGY)	$258.8 billion	3.60%	Food Products
General Mills (NYSE:GIS)	$21.7 billion	5.98%	Food Products
Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK)	$3.7 billion	0.00%	Hotels, Restaurants and Leisure
McDonald's (NYSE:MCD)	$231.0 billion	2.23%	Hotels, Restaurants and Leisure
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (NASDAQ:RMCF)	$22.4 million	0.00%	Food Products

Data as of Mar 12, 2026. Showing 7 of 7 tickers.

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NYSE: BRKB

Berkshire Hathaway

Today's Change

(-0.38%) $-1.88

Current Price

$491.69

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$1.1T

Day's Range

$489.09 - $493.40

52wk Range

$455.19 - $542.07

Volume

263K

Avg Vol

4.9M

Gross Margin

23.63%

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The 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 -0.46%) (BRK.B -0.38%) owns the fast-food chain Dairy Queen.

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 the business.

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2. Nestlé

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OTC: NSRGY

Nestlé

Today's Change

(-0.30%) $-0.31

Current Price

$102.03

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$259B

Day's Range

$101.60 - $102.82

52wk Range

$86.98 - $109.59

Volume

315K

Avg Vol

447K

Gross Margin

45.55%

Dividend Yield

3.60%

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The Swiss food and sweets giant is much more focused on ice cream than Berkshire. Nestlé (NSRGY -0.30%) 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.

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3. General Mills

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NYSE: GIS

General Mills

Today's Change

(-3.10%) $-1.26

Current Price

$39.40

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$22B

Day's Range

$39.29 - $40.70

52wk Range

$39.29 - $62.61

Volume

11M

Avg Vol

8.1M

Gross Margin

33.86%

Dividend Yield

5.98%

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NYSE: SHAK

Shake Shack

Today's Change

(-6.23%) $-5.77

Current Price

$86.81

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$3.7B

Day's Range

$86.81 - $91.29

52wk Range

$72.93 - $144.65

Volume

1.9M

Avg Vol

1.6M

Gross Margin

17.98%

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Shake Shack (SHAK -6.23%) 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.

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5. McDonald's

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NYSE: MCD

McDonald's

Today's Change

(-0.34%) $-1.10

Current Price

$324.11

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$231B

Day's Range

$322.28 - $327.31

52wk Range

$283.47 - $341.75

Volume

169K

Avg Vol

3.3M

Gross Margin

57.29%

Dividend Yield

2.23%

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McDonald's (MCD -0.40%) 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.

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6. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

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NASDAQ: RMCF

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

Today's Change

(-1.25%) $-0.03

Current Price

$2.37

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$22M

Day's Range

$2.31 - $2.42

52wk Range

$1.12 - $2.99

Volume

42K

Avg Vol

59K

Gross Margin

12.61%

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Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (RMCF -1.25%) is a leading franchisor of premium chocolate and confectionery retail stores. Its stores tend to be established in various locations with high foot traffic, such as malls, tourist areas, airports, and resort centers.

The company is facing significant financial strain due to the global cocoa shortage, which has dramatically increased raw material costs and driven the company to unprofitability. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has adopted a dynamic pricing strategy, allowing it to adjust prices for its gourmet chocolates every three months in response to the volatile cocoa market. While the company probably has a long road back to consistent profitability, revenue is growing again.

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Ice Cream Stocks FAQ

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About the Author

Rachel Warren is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, information technology, and consumer goods. Prior to The Motley Fool, Rachel was a paralegal and legal administrator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from Liberty University School of Law.

TMFRachelW

Rachel Warren has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool recommends Magnum Ice Cream, Nestlé, and Unilever. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.