Dreyers dog treats

The Los Angeles Times reported today that Dreyer's, the nations largest ice cream company, is expanding further into the dog treat market by offering a second flavor of ice cream for dogs.

The first flavor of Frosty Paws Frozen Treats for Dogs has been around for years and, according to the newspaper, has become a $10 million product line generating the highest profit margins of all Dreyer's products.

The article discusses how the new flavor addresses an interesting marketing issue: how to sell dog food and human food in the same aisle, even the same freezer. Since both Purina dog food and Dreyer's ice cream are controlled by Nestle, the result is a peanut butter flavored, Purina branded dog treat.

("Dreyer's Scoops Up a Share of Doggie Treats Market," by Jerry Hirsch, Times Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, Aug 18, 2005)

The founders of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, sold as Edy's east of the Rockies, invented Rocky Road ice cream during the depression from their headquarters on Grand Avenue in Oakland, California.

There's a handy store locator on the website: frostypawstreats.com.

And the San Francisco Chronicle just published (Aug 23) a comprehensive history of Frosty Paws here.