It's been nearly 30 years since Yuengling's Ice Cream was on store shelves, but the beloved treat will be back starting March 2014.
David Yuengling, president of Yuengling's Ice Cream, made the announcement this morning. Yuengling is the great-grandson of Frank D. Yuengling, who started the original ice cream company in 1920.
"I've gotten to a point in my life where I can do something different, so I thought continuing a family tradition is a good thing to do," David Yuengling said Monday.
Frank D. Yuengling started Yuengling's Ice Cream to supplement the brewery's revenue during Prohibition. In 1929, the company expanded with branches in Allentown and York and changed its name the following year to Yuengling Dairy Products and started producing its own milk and cream.
Ownership was transferred to Frederick Yuengling Sr. in 1935. David Yuengling's father, Frederick G. "Fritz" Yuengling Jr., became company president in 1963. Yuengling's Dairy ceased production in 1985.
Yuengling's Ice Cream is unaffiliated with the Pottsville brewery. David Yuengling, 51, of Orwigsburg, is second-cousin to Richard L. "Dick" Yuengling, president and owner of the brewery, and grew up in Pottsville.
"One of the first people we approached was Dick (Yuengling) and his daughters and they are very supportive of the whole effort," David said.
Despite ceasing operations, Yuengling explained that the company never dissolved. It just changed its name to Yuengling Corp. and was involved in outside investments, he said. Yuengling's Ice Cream is a new company that went live at 10 a.m. today.
Rob Bohorad will serve as chief operating officer. Yuengling said Bohorad is a long-time family friend and has always suggested bringing back the ice cream. After nearly a year and half of research, Yuengling said it just made sense to bring it back.
"I think people will be surprised," Yuengling said about relaunching the ice cream. "Over the years, people have always asked to bring it back and they say how much they loved it. The few people that we have told so far, everyone said it's a great idea and wish we had done it long ago."
David Yuengling spent the last 30 years in the computer consulting industry, developing computer software systems, working with IBM and owning his own business for about 15 years. Yuengling, however, said he still fondly remembers working for the company during summers as a high school and college student.
The ice cream will be produced at Leiby's Premium Ice Cream, Tamaqua. Yuengling said Bill Parks, owner of Leiby's Dairy, recently expanded at the plant and it has additional capacity not currently being used. He said that's where Yuengling's Ice Cream will be made. The milk and cream will be locally sourced, making the brand PA Preferred,
Yuengling and Bohorad are currently the only people with the company and their office building at 1058 Centre Turnpike, Orwigsburg, is still being renovated. Yuengling said the company doesn't have immediate plans to produce the ice cream itself in the near future, noting it makes better economic sense to outsource right now.
"We hope it grows well enough and we can start to add jobs to the county," he said.
The old dairy building at Fifth and Mahantongo Streets will not be used.
"Dick (Yuengling) owns that building right now," Yuengling said. "I don't think there are any plans for us to do anything with it. I'm sure he has his own plan that doesn't involve us."
Yuengling said the formulas will be completed over the next couple months, then production will begin.
"The ice cream is going to be the same quality, if not better," Yuengling said.
The original ice cream used a lot of artificial flavoring while the new product will be all natural, Yuengling said.
"Consumer tastes have changed, so we had to change some of the recipe to meet those changes," he said.
The ice cream's logo is a redesign of the one used in the 1940s, Yuengling said.
The ice cream will be sold in grocery stores from Pittsburgh to New Jersey and from Scranton to northern Virginia. The list of stores selling the product also has yet to be finalized. It will cost between $5.49 to $5.99 for a quart container.
Yuengling's Ice Cream will feature 10 all-natural flavors: Vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chip, black and tan (chocolate and caramel), vanilla fudge chunk with pretzels, espresso chocolate chip, chocolate fudge brownie, chocolate marshmallow, root beer float and mint chocolate chip.