# Did Breyers vanilla ice cream formula change? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998 "2007-10-17T04:06:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/21 "2007-10-17T21:58:07Z")
[QUOTE=Shalmanese] FYI: The black specks in there weren’t actual vanilla seeds, they were crushed up, spend vanilla pods and contributed nothing to the flavour. [/QUOTE] Really? I couldn’t find anything about this. They _look_ just like the real vanilla seeds I put in my own ice cream. Did they always do this, or just in the new abomination? Oh, and apparently [lots of folks](http://adailyscoop.com/2006/09/11/breyers-natural-ice-cream-and-tara-gum-unilevers-response/) are cheesed off. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/22 "2007-10-18T02:13:37Z")
At [A Daily Scoop](http://adailyscoop.com/2006/09/11/breyers-natural-ice-cream-and-tara-gum-unilevers-response/), the site mentioned by a few Posters, a PR representative from GolinHarris, speaking for Unilever, says: > [@](#): > > … when consumers expressed concern over the texture of our products, we responded. By adding a natural gum to Breyers All Natural Vanilla ice cream, we’ve helped to protect the product’s texture … Our customers describe the problem as ice cream with a “gritty” or “grainy” texture. I am still enjoying the outraged responses just below the fold on that page – **102 Responses to “Breyers Natural Ice Cream and Tara Gum: Unilever’s Response”**. The very first respondent, _Edna_, says, > [@](#): > > What I really find reprehensible about it is that they tried to convince me (us) that it is partially due to customer demand that they changed the ingredients. Ha! I don’t see a huge number of customers clamouring for gums to be added to a formerly perfect, wonderful product. This most offended me as well, using their loyal customers as shills in the sense of “one who poses as a satisfied customer or an enthusiastic gambler to dupe bystanders into participating in a swindle.” And we’re unwitting shills. I never dreamed I would be the cause, justification and rationale for adding Tara Gum and their other oxymoronic natural preservatives. Read **Robardin** ’s tongue-in-cheek (I hope) remarks in Post 15 of this thread. Breyers speaks as if this is the type of feedback they actually, unsardonically receive from customers. George Orwell: > [@](#): > > Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Eyed\_Stranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Green\_Eyed\_Stranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Eyed_Stranger)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/23 "2007-10-18T03:08:41Z")
I don’t know too much about Breyer’s, although it does seem like it’s changed I haven’t paid that much attention. I will however offer [this](http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_144,00.html) . I made it with a vanilla bean I bought in the Dominican Republic. It was fantastic, although I’ve only made it the once. GES ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/24 "2007-10-18T05:47:59Z")
> [@](#): > > In fact, growing distribution and increased handling of our ice cream in the marketplace has indeed resulted in greater chances for temperature abuse and heightened potential for texture problems. Translation: We got big and sold out. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/25 "2007-10-18T06:00:15Z")
Ya know, I thought there was something funny tasting about the Breyers lately. I thought it had just been mishandled and freezerburned. Bastards. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/26 "2007-10-18T06:50:10Z")
I never liked Breyer’s ice cream, I prefer creamy ice cream, I’ll take my gritty crystally texture in Italian Ice, or sorbet. I sent them like 20 thousand letters advising them to change. Now that they have I’ll have to check it out. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/27 "2007-10-18T07:15:53Z")
Poor Breyers. They created \*a marketing gimmick \*to sell more ice cream to the gullible that thought there was something Eviiiiil in ingrediantes a 7yo with a lisp can’t pronounce. :rolleyes: Note that AFAIK, it was only the one single flavor and type of Breyers- the rest had other stuff besides cream, milk, sugar, etc. But they sold the shit out of that marketing gimmick. Now that they can’t maintain that, the marketing gimmick bit them in the ass. It’s actually ironic. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/28 "2007-10-18T08:08:20Z")
If I want to eat seaweed, I’ll have a California roll. Carageenan and tara gum and guar gum and all that aren’t “eviiiiil”, but they affect the flavor in a way I don’t like, at least for vanilla ice cream. Stronger flavors mask the taste of that stuff, so I don’t mind as much. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/29 "2007-10-18T10:06:14Z")
Another example of why I hate the free market. When profit is the ultimate, and only, goal, you get decisions like this. Meanwhile, the R & D folks are probably busy working on a ‘classic’ version to replace the ‘new’ formula, which will remind people of the original flavor, but not quite, so they can continue to use sub-standard ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![H3Knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@H3Knuckles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H3Knuckles)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/30 "2007-10-18T10:16:44Z")
Heh, I noticed it too, don’t like Bryers as much. Understand that I actually enjoy a lot of the more “artificial” ice creams, but Bryers was always special. Now it seems generic too me, and doesn’t even really have anything unique about the flavor to compensate the way Turkey Hill or some other brands can. What I would like to mention, is if you live in an area that sells Turkey Hill ice cream, please take the time and look to see if they have Turkey Hill All Natural Vanilla Ice Cream. It comes in a black box with fine gold lettering that looks conspicuously like Bryer’s traditional packaging. It even tastes like Bryers old-school recipe did (slightly more crisp texture, as I recall), and it’s made with ice, cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla. It’s phenomenal. I’ve only had it once or twice, but I seem to recall discovering it just a little while back, and can’t help but wonder if Turkey Hill isn’t deliberately trying to capitalize on disgruntled Bryer’s fans. At any rate, if you want store-bought traditional ice cream, I highly recommend it. That is, assuming it’s still available. Heh, it even had a little spiel about home values and the creation of ice cream in Philadelphia, which is both a knock-off of the product text on Bryers’ packaging, and a direct reference to Bryer’s creating his famous recipe, IIRC. Ice cream was invetned before that, but that’s about when and where he made his first batch. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/31 "2007-10-18T12:12:45Z")
For those positing that Breyer’s old formula was, in and of itself gritty, I don’t think that’s what the company’s statement means. Here is my translation of Breyer’s statement > [@Breyer's](#): > > Natural ice cream has to stay at the appropriate temperature, or it will melt and refreeze, causing large ice crystals and a gritty texture. Adding plant gum allows us to ignore the mishandling of our product by shippers and stores, by concealing the fact that the product has been improperly stored. I don’t like the mouthfeel of the added gum. I don’t like the new “natural flavors” (which aren’t necessarily “natural” in the way that a vanilla bean or chocolate are, btw) I don’t like the adulterated flavor caused by melting and refreezing. Ergo, I no longer like Breyers. I’m now down to buying Haagen-Dazs, the only brand I’ve found around here with no gums, additives, or off flavors (B&J’s started tasting bad when they had a buyout, IIRC). I will probably have to start making my own for perfect quality control and better price. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/32 "2007-10-18T13:57:23Z")
[QUOTE=Unauthorized Cinnamon] B&J’s started tasting bad when they had a buyout, IIRC). I will probably have to start making my own for perfect quality control and better price. [/QUOTE] I’m not familiar with Ben and Jerry’s but I noticed they were bought by Unilever and the Dutch parent company. I feel I would have to make my own now, as well, to enjoy ice cream again. (I won’t, of course). Thanks for the recipe in Post 23, by the way, **Green Eyed Stranger** , and the suggestion about the (possibly) comparable Turkey Hill product, **H3Knuckles**. About the freezing / thawing thing, a frost-free freezer does that all the time, doesn’t it? Every six hours a timer turns on a heating coil wrapped among the freezer coils, melting ice off the coils. When the ice is gone a temperature sensor senses the temperature rising above 32 F and turns off the heater. This cycles the ice cream through temperature changes. I always felt that was the reason Breyers vanilla seemed different each serving – it was probably in different states of freeze / thaw while aging concurrently. The funny thing is, I liked it in _whatever_ state, and it never tasted exactly the same twice. I considered it simply variations on a beautiful theme. I got all poetic; it used to bring to mind the song _What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life_ (music by Michel Legrand, lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman), the line “I want to see your face in every kind of light.” Breyers did a bad thing when they compromised this product. Thanks for this tidbit, **DrDeth** , > [@](#): > > Note that AFAIK, it was only the one single flavor and type of Breyers- the rest had other stuff … So, Breyers vanilla may have been their flagship. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/33 "2007-10-18T15:44:14Z")
Pierre’s makes a pretty damned good vanilla, if it’s available where you live. Try it. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998/34 "2007-10-18T18:22:22Z")
Wow, I thought it was just me. I’ve loved the stuff for years, but my last couple of tubs were dull and boring, and I notice I’ve subconsciously been eyeing other brands in the supermarket. Goodbye Breyers. BTW, their strawberry used to rock also, that changed a couple of years ago into dull blandness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-breyers-vanilla-ice-cream-formula-change/422998.md?page=1)