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A well-known ice cream brand is expanding its operations in Indiana in a move that will significantly boost production of an iconic dessert.
Greater Fort Wayne Inc. announced June 15 that Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream plans to add two new production lines at its factory in Fort Wayne and create 145 jobs by the end of 2024.
The $145 million project will ramp up production of Dreyer’s Drumstick ice cream cone products, with the added lines expected to go fully online by late 2023. The expansion follows another Drumstick line that was announced this past fall and is now in operation.
Dreyer’s currently has approximately 400 employees at its Fort Wayne plant.
Oakland, California-based Dreyer’s is part of the Nestlé USA ice cream business, which was bought by U.K.-based Froneri in December 2019 for $4 billion. Other brands in that segment include Häagen-Daaz, Outshine, Skinny Cow, Edy’s, and Nestlé Ice Cream.
“We have been serving customers across the U.S. our delicious and quality ice cream for over 35 years from our Fort Wayne facility, and are very excited to continue to grow our capacity and team to make more ice cream with this sizable investment,” said Julia Zirpoli, Dreyer’s Fort Wayne factory manager.
Dreyer’s was founded in Oakland in 1928, and its website states the brand has more than 2,400 employees.
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