Edy's Pie
Product brand
UnclaimedEdy's Pie is an American chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar brand, formerly known as Eskimo Pie.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Edy's Pie is an American frozen-dessert brand built around a chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar. The product originated in Onawa, Iowa, where Danish immigrant Christian Kent Nelson operated a confectionery and reportedly developed the concept in 1920 after observing a child struggle to choose between an ice cream and a chocolate bar. Nelson experimented with methods for coating frozen ice cream in melted chocolate so that the coating would adhere rather than crack or separate. The early product was sold as the I-Scream Bar. In 1921, Nelson filed for a patent and entered into an agreement with chocolate maker Russell C. Stover to manufacture and commercialize the dessert. Stover suggested the name Eskimo Pie, and the partners formed the Eskimo Pie Corporation. U.S. patent 1,404,539 was issued on January 24, 1922. Nelson subsequently licensed the product to ice cream manufacturers, allowing the bar to be produced and distributed through a broad network. The patent was later invalidated in 1928, but the product had already become an established frozen-treat category and a recognizable packaged brand. The original product was a vanilla ice cream bar enclosed in a chocolate coating and wrapped in foil. It is generally described as the first chocolate-covered ice cream bar sold in the United States. The brand also became associated with a round-faced child character created by illustrator Gyo Fujikawa. Nelson earned substantial royalty income from the product and later worked on manufacturing and shipping improvements after joining the company that became part of Reynolds Metals. Ownership of the brand changed several times. Eskimo Pie Corporation was spun off from Reynolds in an initial public offering in 1992, following an earlier proposed acquisition by Nestlé. CoolBrands International acquired the corporation in 2000. After CoolBrands encountered financial difficulties, including the loss of its Weight Watchers and Smart Ones license, it began divesting core assets. In February 2007, Eskimo Pie and Chipwich were sold to the Dreyer's division of Nestlé. In 2020, Dreyer's announced that the brand would be renamed Edy's Pie in 2021. The change followed renewed public scrutiny of the word Eskimo, which some Inuit, Yupik, and Aleut people and others regard as offensive or inappropriate. The replacement name recognizes Joseph Edy, a candy maker and co-founder of Dreyer's. The product identity remained centered on the chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar, while the renaming aligned the brand with the history of its current ice cream group. Edy's Pie is therefore both a packaged dessert product and a historically important American frozen-food trademark. Its significance comes from the early commercialization of a chocolate-coated ice cream bar, the licensing model that expanded its reach, and its later transition from a legacy name to a name connected with the Dreyer's founding history.
History
The history of Edy's Pie begins with Christian Kent Nelson, a Danish immigrant who worked as a schoolteacher and operated a candy store in Onawa, Iowa. According to the brand's historical account, Nelson conceived the product in 1920 after seeing a child in his store unable to decide whether to buy ice cream or a chocolate bar. Nelson experimented with ways to coat a frozen block of ice cream in melted chocolate. The technical challenge was making the chocolate adhere to the cold ice cream and remain intact during handling. Nelson initially sold the product under the name I-Scream Bar. In 1921, he applied for a patent and reached an agreement with local chocolate producer Russell C. Stover. The partners developed a larger-scale manufacturing and commercialization arrangement, adopted the name Eskimo Pie, and established the Eskimo Pie Corporation. U.S. patent 1,404,539 was granted on January 24, 1922. Nelson licensed the product to ice cream manufacturers, creating a distribution model that enabled the dessert to reach consumers beyond its original Iowa market. The patent, which covered frozen confections enclosed in candy, was invalidated in 1928, although the brand and product category continued. Eskimo Pie became one of the earliest widely distributed chocolate-covered ice cream bars in the United States. Nelson benefited from royalties and later participated in technical work involving production and shipping. The brand's visual identity included a round-faced child character illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa. Russell C. Stover eventually sold his interest and went on to establish Russell Stover Candies, while Nelson remained associated with the product's legacy and later worked for Reynolds Metals, which became involved in the brand's ownership structure. Nelson died in 1992, the same year Eskimo Pie Corporation was separated from Reynolds in an initial public offering. The public offering followed a proposed acquisition by Nestlé in 1991 that did not proceed. In 2000, CoolBrands International, a Canadian company based in Markham, Ontario, acquired Eskimo Pie Corporation. CoolBrands assembled a portfolio of food and beverage brands and licenses, but its financial position weakened after it lost the Weight Watchers and Smart Ones license in 2004. By 2007, it was selling major assets, and Eskimo Pie and Chipwich were sold to the Dreyer's division of Nestlé in February of that year. Dreyer's later became part of Froneri's operating structure. In 2020, Dreyer's announced that the former Eskimo Pie name would be replaced by Edy's Pie in 2021. The decision reflected concerns that the word Eskimo could be considered offensive by members of Inuit, Yupik, and Aleut communities and by other observers. The new name refers to Joseph Edy, the candy maker who co-founded Dreyer's with William Dreyer. The renaming preserved the core product while changing its public identity. The brand's history illustrates several developments in packaged food: the conversion of a small confectionery invention into a licensed mass-market product, the importance of protective packaging and cold-chain distribution, the use of character-based branding, and the later need to revise inherited brand language. Although international products with similar chocolate-coated ice cream formats developed under related or generic names, Edy's Pie refers specifically to the American brand now marketed through Dreyer's and Froneri.
- 2021
Edy's Pie name adopted
[1]The brand adopted the Edy's Pie name, honoring Dreyer's co-founder Joseph Edy.
- 2020
Name-change announcement
[1]Dreyer's announced that Eskimo Pie would be renamed Edy's Pie in 2021.
- 2007
Dreyer's acquires Eskimo Pie and Chipwich
[1]The Dreyer's division of Nestlé purchased Eskimo Pie and Chipwich from CoolBrands International.
- 2000
CoolBrands International acquires the brand
[1]CoolBrands International acquired Eskimo Pie Corporation.
- 1992
Eskimo Pie Corporation spun off
[1]Eskimo Pie Corporation was spun off from Reynolds in an initial public offering.
- 1928
Patent invalidated
[1]The patent covering frozen confections enclosed in candy was invalidated, while the product and brand continued in the market.
- 1922
U.S. patent issued
[1]U.S. patent 1,404,539 for the frozen confection concept was issued on January 24, 1922.
- 1921
Eskimo Pie Corporation formed
[1]Nelson and Russell C. Stover entered a manufacturing and commercialization agreement and established the Eskimo Pie Corporation.
- 1920
Product concept developed in Iowa
[1]Christian Kent Nelson reportedly developed the idea for a chocolate-covered ice cream bar in his Onawa, Iowa, candy store.
Products and positioning
A heritage American frozen treat combining vanilla ice cream with a chocolate coating, positioned around convenience, indulgence, and the historical legacy of the original Eskimo Pie.
Frozen dessert · 1921
Edy's Pie chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar
The signature product is a vanilla ice cream bar enclosed in a chocolate coating and sold as an individually wrapped frozen treat. The format combines the flavor and texture of an ice cream bar with an outer chocolate shell designed for convenient handheld consumption. The product originated as the I-Scream Bar before being commercialized under the Eskimo Pie name and later renamed Edy's Pie.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2020
Rename the brand as Edy's PieStrategyBackground
The former Eskimo Pie name faced criticism because the word Eskimo is considered offensive or inappropriate by some members and advocates of Inuit, Yupik, and Aleut communities.
Action taken
Dreyer's announced that the brand would change its name to Edy's Pie in 2021, using the name of Joseph Edy, a Dreyer's co-founder and candy maker.
Aftermath
The product's core chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream format was retained while its name was changed to align with the history of its current ice cream group.
2007
Sale of Eskimo Pie and ChipwichM&ABackground
CoolBrands International was divesting core assets after financial difficulties and the loss of a major licensing relationship.
Action taken
CoolBrands sold Eskimo Pie and Chipwich to the Dreyer's division of Nestlé.
Aftermath
The brand moved into the Dreyer's business and is now marketed under Froneri's operating structure.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Eskimo Pie to be renamed Edy's Pie[2]
The makers of Eskimo Pie announced that the brand would be renamed Edy's Pie from 2021, replacing a name they described as racially insensitive.
Reported
Dreyer’s announces Edy’s Pie name for Eskimo Pie[3]
Dreyer’s announced that its Eskimo Pie ice cream bar will be renamed Edy’s Pie. The company said the newly branded product is expected to reach shelves early in 2021; the article describes the former name as “derogatory.”
Sources4 sources
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