Eskimo Pie is a brand name for a chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar wrapped in foil, the first such dessert sold in the United States.

Danish immigrant Christian K. Nelson, a schoolteacher and candy store owner, claimed to have received the inspiration for the Eskimo Pie in 1920 (in Iowa) when a boy in his store was unable to decide whether to spend his money on ice cream or a chocolate bar. After experimenting with different ways to adhere melted chocolate to bricks of ice cream, Nelson began selling his invention under the name "I-Scream Bars." In 1921, he filed for a patent, and secured an agreement with chocolate manufacturer Russell Stover to mass-produce them under the new trademarked name "Eskimo Pie." After patent 1,404,539 was issued on January 24, 1922, Nelson franchised the product, allowing ice cream manufacturers to produce them under that name. The patent was invalidated in 1929.

Related company history

Stover sold his share of the business. Nelson became independently wealthy off the royalties from the sale of Eskimo Pies.

Nelson then sold his share of the business to the United States Foil Company, which made the Eskimo Pie wrappers. He retired at a young age, but reportedly out of boredom rejoined what was then called Reynolds Metals Company (now part of Alcoa) in 1935, inventing new methods of manufacturing and shipping Eskimo Pies and serving as an executive until his ultimate retirement in 1961.

In 1992, Nelson died at the age of 99. In that same year, Eskimo Pie Corporation was spun off from Reynolds in an initial public offering, as an alternative to an acquisition that Nestlé had proposed in 1991.

Eskimo Pie brand confectionery is still sold today by CoolBrands International , which acquired Eskimo Pie Corporation in 2000.

See also

• Klondike bar

External links

• History of the Eskimo Pie, from the Smithsonian Institution
• Official website of the Eskimo Pie
• Patent 1,404,539