The Ice Cream Cake That Once Dominated The US Still Reigns Supreme Across The Pond

Back in 1982, British ice cream company Wall's launched an iconic ice cream cake known as the Viennetta. This wasn't just any frozen dessert; it was a statement piece that featured a rippled wave of ice cream interlaced with thin, crisp layers of chocolate. Viennetta was initially a Christmas treat in the United Kingdom, but by 1984, it had become a year-round favorite.

While the vanilla ice cream recipe remains the classic, Viennetta has been offered in other flavors, including mint, salted caramel, and even a festive Birthday Cake option, with vanilla and strawberry ice cream all layered between crunchy chocolate and topped with rainbow sprinkles. What set Viennetta apart from plain store-bought ice cream was its wave-like design, which was created through a process where ice cream was pumped out onto a moving belt at different speeds. The layers would stack on each other at these varying speeds, creating a dessert unlike any other that resembled a concertina (an instrument similar to an accordion). This design was a major factor in Viennetta's early success.

Viennetta eventually made its way to the United States in the late 1980s, under the Good Humor brand. Sold as an upscale frozen dessert because of its look and texture, it found a place in many American grocery stores. In 1994, Viennetta was rebranded under the Breyers name. Despite the rebrand, the ice cream cake did not achieve the same level of popularity in the U.S. as it did across the pond. The eventual decline led to its discontinuation in the mid-1990s, possibly a result of changes in buyer preference or new desserts that hit the market.

Although it had a brief respite from America, a wave of 1990s nostalgia and consumer demand brought Viennetta back to U.S. freezers in 2021, this time under its original brand, Good Humor. Unilever, which is Good Humor's parent company, recognized the need for this retro treat, particularly among those who remembered it as a childhood dessert. The reintroduction of Viennetta can also be seen as part of a broader trend in marketing, where brands capitalize on nostalgia to reconnect with their audience.

Nowadays, Viennetta can be found in some stores in the U.S. but is widely available throughout the UK, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and would pair exceptionally with a Bailey's Irish Cream coffee. You can find the ice cream cake at major supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Co-op, and online. The UK isn't the only place to enjoy this treat, though. It's also sold in various countries around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Israel, Finland, Indonesia, and Thailand. It is also sold in Japan, but it remains relatively unknown there — a low percentage of the population is familiar with the dessert, despite it being around for decades.