Going out for ice cream is one of those classic childhood experiences that evokes fond (and delicious) memories.
Many of us remember waiting eagerly for the ice cream truck to make its way down the street with its unmistakable jingle, or visiting a local ice cream store and enjoying a sundae so tasty we couldn’t wait to come back for more.
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The reality is that ice cream is one of those desserts you really never get tired of. And the good news is that there’s plenty of it to go around.
The bad news is that there’s not necessarily so much good ice cream to go around.
If you look at the ice cream that’s carried in stores, a lot of it isn’t ice cream — it’s frozen dairy dessert, which has less milk fat, and therefore, less creaminess.
So when there’s a classic ice cream brand you know and love that’s actual ice cream, that’s where you want to spend your money.
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Thrifty Ice Cream gets big revival following Rite Aid bankruptcy filing
People who have experienced the joy of Thrifty Ice Cream know the company lives up to its name.
Founded in 1940, Thrifty was known as the brand that served delicious ice cream for just 5 cents a scoop well into the 1970s. Even budget-conscious families could enjoy an ice cream outing without stress.
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When Rite Aid acquired the Thrifty brand in the mid-1990s, it did so to expand its market reach. Thrifty Ice Cream soon became a staple item at many of Rite Aid’s store locations, particularly on the West Coast.
But when Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy for a second time this past May, it suddenly put the beloved brand at risk.
Thankfully, Rite Aid isn’t taking Thrifty down with it. Quite the contrary – Thrifty is getting a major revival under new ownership.
Hilrod Holdings is taking over Thrifty, but fear not — the company intends to boost the brand without altering the recipes fans know and love.
Hilrod also plans to expand Thrifty’s lineup of products, which currently includes classic flavors such as black cherry, chocolate peanut butter, and butter pecan.
Thrifty’s iconic ice cream could soon be coming to a store near you
Not only are Thrifty’s new owners looking to revitalize the brand, but they’re also looking to expand to different markets. That’s a big deal at a time when good store-bought ice cream is getting harder to come by.
Unlike so many ice cream brands today, Thrifty uses real milk in its ingredients and has maintained the same traditional recipe for close to a century. Not only that, but the company sources its dairy locally to ensure the quality of its ice cream.
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The company also uses fresh ingredients for its various mix-ins, whether it’s fruit or cookies.
Of course, the big question is whether Thrifty will continue to live up to its name as the cost of consumer goods continues to climb on a whole.
But while the days of the 5-cent Thrifty Ice Cream scoop may be long behind us, consumers can bank on the brand staying loyal to its roots.
In addition to branching out to new markets, Hilrod is making plans to launch a series of digital and in-store campaigns inviting fans to revisit their favorite Thrifty flavors and memories.
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All told, it’s an exciting time to be an ice cream fan — especially if you’re someone who cares about product quality and refuses to be caught with a spoonful of imposter-style frozen dairy dessert.
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