After launching many successful innovations in ice cream through the 1940s and 50s, Mattus finally started making his gourmet ice cream in 1960.
In 1960, Mattus and his wife Rose decided to open a new company dedicated to his ice cream passion and vision, named Häagen-Dazs.
Its early success was created by word of mouth and praise. Without the benefit of advertising the story of an incredibly rich and creamy confection spread rapidly.
At first, Häagen-Dazs Ice cream started out with only three basic flavors: vanilla, chocolate and coffee. Mattus’s unique ice cream recipes included finest dark chocolate from Belgium and handpicked vanilla beans from Madagascar, creating distinctive and indulgent tastes that no one at that period had ever experienced.
It was soon popularized throughout America with public praise for their excellent products.
At the beginning, it was only available through limited number of gourmet shops in New York City, but soon distribution expanded throughout the east coast of the U.S. In 1973, the forts modern Häagen-Dazs factory was opened in New Jersey.
In 1976, the daughter of Mattus opened the first independent Häagen-Dazs store and was immediately successful due to the already large following of people familiar with Häagen-Dazs ice cream. The first store offered frozen desserts such as ice creams, sundaes, and cones.
In 1982 the company began to expand Asia two years later - setting up initially in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong.
The Häagen-Dazs company has changed ownership several times. In 1983, Mattus sold Häagen-Dazs to The Pillsbury Company, with the agreement to remain committed to the tradition of superior quality and innovation on which Häagen-Dazs was first founded.
However, in the US and Canada the brand has been licensed to Dreyer’s (a subsidiary of Nestlé), which produces and distributes the product. Now it is owned by the multinational Froneri, a joint venture set up by Nestlé and PAI Partners.
Häagen-Dazs ice cream
