Telling Brothers Ice Cream – Happy Cows from the Heartland

Telling Brothers Ice Cream has a rich history that spans over a century. Herbert and Frank Telling founded The company in 1907 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The brothers began their ice cream business by making small batches of ice cream in their home and delivering it to local customers.

Local Dairy

Telling Brothers Ice Cream had their own dairy for many years. The company sourced their ingredients from their own dairy farm. It was located in northern Kentucky, near Cincinnati. The farm provided them with the high-quality milk and cream that they used to make their ice cream.

The Tellings believed that using fresh, high-quality milk and cream was essential to making great ice cream, so they took great care in the sourcing of their ingredients. They even pasteurized their own milk on site to ensure the freshest possible product.

As the company grew, they began to source their milk and cream from other local dairy farms in addition to their own.

Expansion

The Tellings also moved their operations to a larger facility and began supplying ice cream to local stores and restaurants. They continued to expand their product line, introducing new flavors and creating innovative ice cream products such as the “Ice Cream Sandwich.”

In the 1920s, Telling Brothers Ice Cream began to expand its distribution to other cities in the Midwest. The company introduced new marketing strategies, such as sponsoring local sports teams and offering free samples to customers. A Telling’s Ice Cream sign appears on an outfield wall in the Ken Burns Baseball documentary.

Sale

It is not known whether due to retirement or death of the founders, but Telling Brothers Ice Cream was sold to am investor group from Cleveland in the 1930s. The Great Depression may also have played a role in the sale. Since then, the brand has been through many changes of ownership. It has faded away over time.