in 1961. That’s when lifelong ice cream entrepreneur Reuben Mattus (who 40 years earlier helped his mother sell fruit ice pops on the streets of New York City) began selling Häagen-Dazs Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla ice cream in pint-sized containers throughout New York City. For decades, he experimented, tested and ultimately perfected the world’s finest ice cream.
From the beginning, Häagen-Dazs has been special. Its mouth-watering flavors, dense, creamy texture, and innovative products all reflect a deep commitment to quality. It took six years, for example, to find strawberries sweet enough to carry the Häagen-Dazs name.
Innovation has been a key ingredient in the Häagen-Dazs success story. On Valentine’s Day Eve 1986, Häagen-Dazs unveiled an ice cream bar for adult tastes. In 1996, after years of testing and sampling, the brand launched Häagen-Dazs Green Tea ice cream – the taste modeled on a select variety of green tea that’s been savored in Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries. More recently, Häagen-Dazs Crispy Sandwich™ (an indulgent ice cream sandwich) was introduced to Europe in 2004.
That creativity also is highlighted in our shops around the world, where carefully crafted ice cream creations – almost too beautiful to eat – are featured each and every day.
Not surprisingly, word-of-mouth passion for Häagen-Dazs has been strong from the beginning. When the first Häagen-Dazs Shop opened in 1976, it was an immediate success. International expansion followed six years later.
Now sold at retail and in more than 900 Häagen-Dazs Shops in 50 countries, Häagen-Dazs ice cream is savored around the world. Decades come and go, but Häagen-Dazs remains true to its passionate commitment to quality, creativity and, above all else, taste.