Remember cute Breyers commercials where the little boy reads the back of a non-Breyers ice cream container and can’t pronounce the artificial ingredients? Then he picks up a container of Breyers and can pronounce all of the ingredients because there are only four well-known natural ingredients: milk, cream, sugar, natural flavors. Well, now there is a fifth: tara gum. No, it’s not as scary to pronounce as cargenceen and gaur gum; but it’s not the simple ice cream that was formerly advertised. Tara gum is a new ingredient that Breyers has added to their ice creams to make them creamier.
Admittedly, when I first reviewed Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream it didn’t even occur to me to look at the ingredients. A commenter informed me that the Breyers Natural Vanilla recipe was no longer as simple– tara gum had been added. Sure enough, I looked at the ingredients on the package and there it was. Since then, I have spent some time investigating this new addition to Breyers ice cream and will discuss my findings in a 4 part series. Today, in the first story of the series, I will outline the basics about tara gum and detail Breyers response to some questions I asked them. In the upcoming weeks I will post a taste test comparing Breyers All Natural Vanilla with and without tara gum, specify odd ingredients in other brands’ ice creams, and conclude with a story about the future of ice cream ingredients.
Tara gum is a natural ingredient from the tara tree, a plant commonly found in South America and Africa. Studies have shown it to be safe for human consumption. New Zealand and Australia Food Standards approved it as did the World Health Organization. However, the results of these studies were not entirely positive, as tara gum is indigestible and causes various problems when consumed in high quantities (>5%) by rats and dogs. Though, most humans will not consume this amount of tara gum and should not have anything to worry about.
Due to my curiosity about tara gum I contacted Unilever (the parent company of Breyers) with a number of questions about the product. These questions included:
When tara gum was first added to Breyers ice cream?
Is tara gum (or a similar substance) added to all of the Breyers ice creams or only
certain flavors? Also, is it added to other Unilever brands, such as Ben and Jerry’s?
Is there any plan to add tara gum to other brands of ice creams in the future?
Does the addition have anything to do with the Double Churned ice cream that is now being
sold?
Why was it decided that tara gum should be added to the ice cream?
Have you received complaints about the new additive?
A PR representative from GolinHarris got back to me with the following response:
In response to your questions regarding the use of tara gum in its ice cream, Breyers is proud of its all-natural heritage. It’s a position we take very seriously and one we work hard to maintain. We value the confidence our customers have in our products and go to great lengths to ensure exceptional quality and great taste.
So when consumers expressed concern over the texture of our products, we responded. By adding a natural gum to Breyers All Natural Vanilla ice cream, we’ve helped to protect the product’s texture while staying true to our all-natural commitment. We use tara gum from natural plant sources to help Breyers ice cream stay creamier and more enjoyable for longer periods of time.
Because ice cream is temperature-sensitive, this addition has further allowed us to ensure the ice cream’s quality throughout it distribution. As you can imagine, ice cream’s taste and texture can be unfavorably affected if exposed to temperature fluctuations during shipping or storage. Our customers describe the problem as ice cream with a “gritty” or “grainy” texture. In fact, growing distribution and increased handling of our ice cream in the marketplace has indeed resulted in greater chances for temperature abuse and heightened potential for texture problems.
Clearly, Unilever’s/Breyers response didn’t address the majority of my questions, which made me think that they’re not completely convinced that tara gum fits into the category of traditionally “natural products.” So my curiosity about this mysterious ingredient intensified and I decided more research was necessary. Stay tuned for my findings as I explore and analyze the ingredients of non-Breyers ice creams. Is this tara gum phenomenon is unique to Breyers or is it an industry-wide trend?
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I miss the old Breyers Stawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla. Their Mint Chocolate Chip was fantastic. Cursed be that Tara Gum Goop! I haven’t bought Breyers since the day they and added goop to their recipe ..until tonight – because there was no Turkey Hill Natural. Why? Oh! Why did they change this recipe???!! Greed sucks!
Yuck is right. Several months ago when I had some of the chocolate chip mint, I thought maybe the ice cream was a bit old. Then again last night I tried another flavor and it was the same yucky taste. I even looked at the box to be sure I hadn’t bought a diet ice cream – the flavor was awful. It’s going in the garbage. Don’t even want a coupon for a freebie!
Looks like the only advertising I see lately is 2 for 1 sales at the stores.
What COULD they advertise now??? “More air … less fat”?
I agree the taste is awful! I have always eaten Breyers for the natural ingredients and excellent flavor. Not anymore…I will not give my children it either. I care what they consume, as my mother did me. I grew up on it. They ruined a good thing.
Sigh. I’m sick of this ingredient substitution. >.<
I, too, knew the very first bite about a year or so ago (a bit longer maybe?). I have been a loyal Breyer’s buyer for about 20 years…but no more. Haven’t bought a single carton since that day and I never will. It’s now on par with all the other commercial “ice creams” on the market.
Does anybody know of ANY ice creams without gums? Even Haagen Daas has gums in it. I’ve even checked the “natural” section but can find zero.
Guess I’ll just make my own in my Cuisinart – it’s easy and I know what ingredients I’m eating!
Little does anybody know that the term ‘natural flavors’ is a euphemism for MSG or ‘free glutamic acid’
The manufacturers will not tell us what their term ‘natural flavors’ consists of. Because of this, if you have a reaction to it and become hospitalized or worse, they hide behind proprietary information and keep the actual chemicals used secret.
Yep, you are hot on the trail. No wonder we get so sick in this country. Most of our food is processed. I am making my own ice cream from now on, no more gum. People and companies have to stop being so damn greedy and putting out health at risk.
It used to be a great country…
not sure who said that orig.
I used to love Bryers vanilla bean until they ruined it. Haagen Dazs (it does not have gums in it) is my brand now. I found that the Haagen Dazs ‘Five’ vanilla bean is just as good or better than the Bryers that I used to love.
I will pay more for quality.
I used to love Breyer’s all natural coffee but the flavor has changed dramatically.
The real reason they introduced Tara gum, btw, is to allow them to whip up the ice cream with more air than before. In other words, you’re getting less actual ice-cream per scoop.
For example, one serving of Haagen Daz (the best and purest on the market) weighs 102 grams while the same volume of Breyers only weighs 66 grams. That’s 35% more less ice cream for the same volume. They’ve pumped it full of air!
Not only is it more foam, they also shrunk the container.
All in all. I’ll never touch Breyers again. It’s no longer tasty and satisfying enough to justify the calories. Haagen Daz is now the only option on the market for me. It’s worth the price!
Did you know the old Breyers Ice Cream was sometimes hard to get out? When Cream gets to cold it freeze up so much that an Ice can form and to make it a little better they use a Natural Ingredient.
Did you know some Companies use High Fructose Corn Syrup in their ice creams? In my view, so you can buy more and eat more. HFCS I believe is one addictive additive.
If the company is trying to add natural stuff to the mix and helps it maintain the ice cream instead of using something that is processed over and over again a million times. I would like to say thanks to Breyers for keeping it Natural.
NOTE: I do not work for Breyers or any company that is with Breyers. I do have food allergies. I can not have anything to do with HFCS or anything with corn and so Breyers all Natural is the ONLY ice cream I can eat. Or the sick no sugar ice creamd and that does not taste right at all.
There is one other choice out there but it only comes in vanilla bean right now. It is BLUE BUNNY ALL NATURAL VANILLA. It tastes like the old Breyers and has a larger container.—ALSO NO GUMS.
I’ve been buying and eating Breyer’s since the ’50s. It was always ‘all natural’, until recently that is. The chocolate and coffee now not only contain tara gum but whey as well. It’s amazing how companies ruin a good thing (Pillsbury hasn’t also messed with their chocolate chip cookie dough). FYI: Harris Teeter stores sell their ‘All Natural Ice Cream’, and it’s what Breyer’s used to be… no gum, no whey. I just hope they don’t screw it up too.
For all-natural ice cream, I buy Haagen Daz’s ‘five’ ice cream, which has only five essential ingredients; milk, cream sugar, egg yolks, and the fifth being the flavor (ie. vanilla extract, mint extract, etc.). They have Vanilla, Mint, Milk Chocolate, Coffee, Passion Fruit, and Ginger.
So, knowing Five is only 14 ozs and $3.50 per carton, I decided to buy and try Breyer’s All-Natural Vanilla, my grocer had a two carton for $6 deal. BIG mistake!
Based on Unilever’s response above, instead of addressing and confronting the actual problem (distribution), they f’d up their product. Typical management always taking the easy way out.
I won’t buy this $h!t again!
From Breyer’s response, it is clear they want their product to be able to thaw out between production and point of sale without having to dispose of it. I find the texture of the new product displeasing and the flavor compromised, so I appreciate the suggestions listed above. Will try Harris Teeter, Blue Bunny and Haagen Daaz (after reading the ingredients).
I have not purchased Breyer’s since Unilever (Netherlands) bought it in the 70’s. Unilever mistreated the employees at the original Philadelphia plant to the Nth degree. There were only about 50 workers at the plant. Many were near retirement. No offers of severance, pension, relocation. Nothing. Unilever took the name and ran. I remember when many fruit flavors (peach especially) were not available unless the fruits were in season. That was because of their “pledge”.
Breyers was one of the worst ice creams I had ever tasted, when it was ‘all-natural’. I wouldn’t know how it tastes now, since it’s not worth trying. I don’t see how you can put Haagen-dazs in the same category…
Personally, I prefer to eat products that don’t last through shipping, and go stale and rancid immediately. Modern food science has no place in modern society.
This tara gum stuff is the pits! Unilever has just gotten greedy like everyone else! I remember when the ingredients list was : milk, cream, sugar and vanilla beans or whatever other natural flavor. They started doing something different and the ice cream wasn’t nearly as creamy, then you got ice crystals, now the ingredients list has the audacity to say ‘natural tara gum’ – sorry Breyers- I’ve been a fan for 40 yrs and you’ve gone and done it and sold out. You suck! I remember your awesome coffee ice cream and black rasberry……please please please – get back to basics – you’ll be surprised how many of us are willing to pay for the REAL DEAL!
Who makes an all natural ice cream brand in Canada? I just had some Breyers Strawberry, and it was very disappointing, so I looked at the ingredients and saw they had added carrageenan, which they used to pride themselves on NOT using as an ingredient. My family won’t be buying Breyers anymore. Thanks for ruining a good thing, Unilever!
well no more ice cream for me. Breyers was the only brand i could eat and now they have added ‘gum’ to the mix… now it takes crappy like all the rest instead of fresh and unique.
We are done with Breyers too. My sister noticed a difference in the texture one day and that is what caused her to even look at the ingredient list. Turkey Hill All Natural (Black Container Only) and Haagen Daaz have all natural ingredients. Those are the only ones we will buy now. I guess it is time to unwrap the ice cream maker.
I too am seriously disappointed in Breyers. It was the only commercial ice cream I really enjoyed. I haven’t eaten much ice cream in the past year or so, but went to buy some Breyers recently and noticed the container had gotten smaller and more importantly the ingredients had changed. I could accept a smaller container, but not the ingredient change. I don’t want GUM and I much prefer Vanilla over NATURAL INGREDIENTS. I know it is only ice cream but I really loved the old Breyers. I won’t be buying Breyers in the future…
I just purchased some Breyer’s because it was on sale for only $2.50. It does taste different. I am so tired of perservative filled foods.
From now on I will only buy the vanilla ice cream from Trader Joe’s because it is all natural and so creamy. It’s more expensive but it is in a container that is almost double the size of the Breyer’s. It’s not all whipped with air either. That container is so heavy, I couldn’t believe it.
All of the ice cream containers at the grocery store have gotten smaller and the prices have gotten more expensive. What’s up with that?
I have been a loyal customer of Breyers for about 40 years. Always loved the real ingredients and the lack of psychodelic coloring added to the vanilla. It tasted like homemade. Tonight, I got out my “all natural Breyers” and noticed that it now stretches, like the cheap grocery store brands I always avoided. I will never buy it again.
Used to be our favorite. Don’t care for it now.
I have found a partial solution!- Just dicovered today at Shaws Market in CT!!!!
call this number (800-MY DAIRY) to see where you can buy “TURKEY HILL All Natural Vanilla Bean- No Additives”
..it even says “Check our Ingredients” on the carton, like Breyers used to!! THANK THEM – and emplore them to spread the word!
Its like ice cream time travel: similar looking carton, super clean tasting, not gummy, not icy, not stringy, not yellow….the closest ive tasted to old Breyers in over TEN years!!!!! (its not quite as crisp as breyers, its a little more butterfat…. but nowhere near as heavy as Hagen Dasz…for people that want to keep their arteries at least partially open)
I have eaten Breyers for more than 60 years and loved it all until this week. When I noticdthe flavor change I first blamed the store of substituting a cheaper brand. Then I read the ingrdients and gota jolt.
Unilever, may the curse of New Coke fall upon you!
I came here looking for an alternative. I can get Turkey Hill All Natural in one flavor. We do not have a Trader Joes and I don’t know any store that sells larger containers of Haagen-Daaz. One son suggested we start making our own. At least I can use organic cream that way. Pesticides and hormones are stored in the fat. I wish Stonyfield would start making icecream.
I must say…Breyer’s has disappointed me with this gum addition…This does not make the product natural even if it does come from a tree. I am allergic to gums from tropical plants and last night after eating Breyer’s strawberry ice-cream ( my one time favorite ) I went into an allergic breathing attack. I didn’t realize that they had added a foreign substance to this ice cream as I thought I was eating “All Natural” Breyers…but no more…Now I am on my way to an allergist for some meds to counter act this allergic response. Hey, Breyers—want my doctor’s bill?
I am there with you all. I hadn’t tried Breyer’s for years and noticed the new packaging this evening when I was jonesin’ for some at the store…just to be sure that there were basic ingredients still I looked- what a surprise. Can ANY large company make a profit on pure food these days? And did anyone but me actually LIKE the slightly gritty texture that Breyers often had? Well, fortunately the sky is the limit with my little Cuisinart and it takes almost no work for fresher ice cream than the best manufacturers can provide.
Also, to Mark: Actually, the best homemade ice cream with the fewest ice creams have more air. That is what gives them the smooth and creamy consistency, instead of grainy or straight-out icy. Try half-freezing some in a hand or electric ice cream machine, then popping it in the freezer to finish off. HUGE (and unpleasant) difference!
To RJ: Don’t forget BROWN SUGAR in the line-up for Haagen Daz’s 5’s flavors. It’s my absolute new favorite.
Correction- under “to Mark” substitute the second “ice creams” with “ingredients.” Sorry guys!
Recently I purchased some Breyers Ice Cream at my grocery store.
I did not read the ingredients. I noticed right away that the ice cream
was not the same as I had remembered. It tasted different and it was
all wrong ! Yuck ! I looked at the ingredients and noticed Tara Gum.
I am not unfamiliar with “gums”, as many are added to food to add
texture and volume, etc. Seems like Guar Gum has been around
forever ? Now I am looking at the ingredients in ALL of the foods I
purchase to check for “gums”. Many people have f0od allergies or
cannot digest these food additives. If anyone has ever experienced
the “sugar alcohols” like sorbitol, you know what I mean. They
said THAT was safe too when it first came out , but it has side affects.
Best to check all of the labels before you buy to become a more
educated and informed consumer. No more ice cream for me !
Mine’s another vote for NO GUMS… Breyers used to be the only brand of ice cream I’d buy, and now it’s the Five Ingredient Haagen-Daaz.
I also want to put in a vote for NO PECTIN. Seems like pectin has been added to everything, especially dairy product and sherbets. Pectin is not natural except when it arrives naturally inside fruit… Pectin tests positive for starch, if anyone is allergic to MODIFIED FOOD STARCH (usually corn or potato), which is yet another thing added to most of our food. Why do manufacturers think we need everything to be artificially THICKENED? If food tastes BAD if it is naturally too thin, why on earth would we want to fool ourselves into eating it???
WHY is it so difficult to buy real food?
I too was a fan of Breyer’s vanilla for 40 years. I’m so angry that they messed up a good thing. I loved the iciness and didn’t mind the gritiness and was willing to sacrifice shelf life for flavor. I have since switched to Haagen Dazs, which is delicious. Although after reading this site, I’ll also seek out the Trader Joe’s and Turkey Hill brands.
My Husband came home with ‘All Natural ‘ Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream which wanted to go with home made apple crisp for a family party. It had been some time since we had bought some and I was horrified when I opened the carton to find this yellow mess that looks like a lump of frozen butter on the plate. On reading the lable I found it had egg yolks and Tara Gum and corn syrup. Just what we all need more fat and more sugar!! What on earth is Unilever doing messing up a perfectly good product. I will definately not be buying this again, shame on Unilever !
I will never buy Breyers ice cream again. They have betrayed the trust of the ice cream eating public. And what’s WORSE is that the PR people lied and tried to say it was to make the product better.
I would have bought the real-recipe Breyers no matter what the price.
It was bad enough that the container shrank and shrank. Why not leave it at a half gallon and let everyone know the score? But that is another beef and not nearly so heinous as this crime perpetrated on the American, ice cream-eating public.
I found that they changed the product simply by tasting it. I grabbed the carton and looked and, sure enough, the recipe was different. It tasted like every other cheap store brand.
Whatever Unilever thinks it will gain financially by ruining this product, it will lose at least as much with lost customers.
Furthermore, I’m insulted by the PR response. Does that person or group who must have spent all of two minutes putting that response together think everyone in the United States is an idiot?
That was the most transparent argument I’ve ever read.
Quality? Prior to this recipe change, I’ve never had a bad batch of Breyers.
Who complained? Was it two or three people? My bet is that there weren’t any real complaints and it’s all about just making more money.
My family used to buy a lot of Breyers but that number is now zero and will stay at zero unless the error is fixed.
In the meantime, we are already on the lookout for a company that won’t sell out its customers. Come to think of it, if we find a brand that doesn’t add crap to its product, we will stay with it no matter what as they should be rewarded for providing a great product.
Oh PR firm, you have a lot to learn about public relations.
I bought some Breyers Vanilla since I always associated Breyers with quality. I wanted some good-tasting vanilla ice cream…but when I took a bite, it tasted…expired? It tasted as if the cream had gone sour or something. That, and the texture of the ice cream wasn’t what I was used to. I read above that Breyer’s pumps their ice cream full of air, which would make sense – this ice cream felt too ‘fluffy.’
It’s a shame when a company ruins its product for the sake of profit. As many people here have said, I would pay more if the product was better. Stop being so greedy, Breyers – it’s going to hurt sales if it hasn’t already!
The regular vanilla shouldn’t have egg yolks or corn syrup, that sounds like french vanilla.
RE: David’s comments:
Agree with most everything you said (and most others as well).
Bryers vanilla has been my favorite since I ws a kid. I’ve never cared for most other brands, even the designer ones, because most of them have guar gum, and I don’t care for the texture or taste.
In the last year or two, I had subconciously noticed Bryers wasn’t quite right, and was subconciously avoiding it because the last several times I just wasn’t getting the enjoyment I was anticipating.
Last night I got suckered into buying it with a two for price of one deal. After I had eaten it I was so dissapointed with this stupid, sticky, not-so-good tasting mess that I decided to look at the ingredient label. This prompted an Internet investigation, which immediately explained a lot.
BTW – I agree completely about skepticism over supposed complaints. The only time I ever had grainy Bryers is when it had been in MY freezer for an unreasonably long time.
Pretty amazing how the people currently running the place are able to F-up what had been a perfectly good product for decades.
Count me as a former customer.
How awful their ice cream is! I might just make a trip to the store and return it. Up until this evening I had always loved Breyer’s frozen yogurt and ice cream, particularly the vanilla and quite partial to coffee — but now it tastes as though it is full candlewax.
I suppose it is nothing more than yet another company sacrificing taste and quality … how disappointing. Guess I’ll have to spend more money on a quality product or start making my own (as if it isn’t bad enough trying to find a decent loaf of bread and now we have to go back to making our own ice cream)~!
NO MORE BREYERS FOR ME!I see it piled up on the shelves.The addition of gum to Breyers has ruined it.the flavor has an undertaste,and the once creamy melt has a strange untasty residue! There goes another great product ruined by nerdy credentialed arrogance,and greed.What they made up for shelf life,these Wall Street grabbers lost in business.Everyone I know will not buy it.Why pay the price when cheaper brands now taste better!
Business created by personalities with pride have been destroyed by this finance capital social Marxism.The neoconservative gansters at Breyers have ruined another famous name,built with love and quality by others,than wrecked by this concious and unconcious corruption.Cokeis ugly7UP downgraded long ago.Canada Dry lost its zip.The car companies turned out dull hunks of metal with no personality,and changed beautiful nameplates like Eldorado,Imperial,Electra,and Continental into boring numbers or letters.Now Breyers ads disgusting gum to its excellent product.Is it a wonder the USA is in decline?
Why!!!!
I just opened a new box of Mint Chocolate chip to find something was wrong. I hope they change it back…It’s was the only ice cream worth eating…
I have had a headache every morning after eating Breyers ice cream after dinner the night before. I never eat preservatives because I get sick headaches. I’m going to give up my relationship with Breyers until they get smart and go back to all natural ingredients. It used to be the only commercial ice cream I would eat, despite the fact that it was not organic. My mother was responsible for that little kid on the commercial reading all of the natural ingredients. I’ll tell why if anyone is interested. Yes, there is a great NATURAL ice cream from Whole Foods. It’s Adelle’s, I think the name is. It’s pretty rich, but their chocolate chocolate chip is great. I’m going to switch from Breyers and go with organic Adelle’s where a little bit goes a long way to satisfy and I feel great the next morning.
Can you image the executives at Unilever eating Breyer’s ice cream at a family gathering? Haha who are you kidding. They eat Hagen Das or some other quality ice cream.
I’m glad that I’m not the only one that feels that Breyers tastes different. It’s all about the money. What a shame Unilever.
Why did you change Bryers? It was the only ice cream I could enjoy without side affects. It leaves me with digestion problems and what I thought was sugar crashes but understood when I read the label. Something new had been added. My husband mentioned that he did’nt like the taste of the chocolate and vanilla combo . Said it just did’nt taste the same. He read the label too.
It there anyone that can be trusted to keep their reputation. I don’t trust the name Bryer’s anymore I White
I agree that Unilever completely destroyed the Breyers ice cream franchise and completely ruined the flavor….tragic! When I sent a complaint to Unilever to express my dissatisfaction with what they did to Breyers, they dismissed it and offered a replacement certificate for a free container of ice cream. They obviously don’t read their complaints and care very little out their customers comments. Joke!
People, I just want share will everyone to STAY AWAY FROM GUAR GUM!
I have suffered with a severe digestive illness for 12 years. Thus I have kept a daily diary of everything I eat–and I mean everything–to learn how to avoid problem foods and foods that will cause immediate problems. I want to tell everyone that the one of the WORST food ingredients you can eat is GUAR GUM. Unfortunately it is in a lot of foods. But it’s additives like Guar Gum that are causing colon cancers and digestive illnesses. I recommend everyone AVOID GUAR GUM like the plague!
And I too was shocked to see Breyers add Tara Gum. I cannot eat any of those so-called “natural additives” (which sounds like an oxymoron). Tara Gum is junk too.
Want to stay healthy?? Start eating at home, non-boxed, non pre-prepared foods. Everything in the store is causing digestive illness and cancers eventually.
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