RIP Schwan's Guy: Mourning An American Frozen Food Icon
After 72 years, the food-delivery company is going out of business.By Allison ArnoldPublished: Sep 27, 2024
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There are many food-delivery companies out there, but none evoke an emotional response like Schwan's. And that's even more true now that Yelloh (formerly Schwan's Home Delivery) announced it will be going out of business this November after 72 years.
Founded in Minnesota in 1952, Schwan's started off delivering ice cream via yellow trucks right to customers' doorsteps. They later expanded to a wide variety of frozen foods like pizza and pasta, among others. Schwan's was the original food-delivery service, but way more personal that Uber Eats. Everyone knew their local "Schwan's guy."
My family used to hoard the peppermint ice cream every holiday season—no other brand's was quite as good. I grew up on Schwan's sherbet push pops, mini ice cream cups, and perhaps their most popular offering: frozen pizzas.
Once the news broke this week, fans everywhere went into mourning. "End of an era. Our personal Schwan’s guy was almost like a distant family member who came to visit once a month," wrote one user on on Reddit.
Over the years, due to changing consumer habits, Schwan's iconic yellow trucks seemed to become less visible. But there's online evidence showing that deliveries are still very active in some parts of the U.S.
In 2019, Schwan's Company, but not the home delivery business, was acquired by CJ Foods. Schwan's Home Delivery was later rebranded as Yelloh in 2023. As for why Yelloh is closing, a press release cited economic and market forces and supply chain issues caused by the pandemic. Schwan's Company, however, is still in business and supplies grocery stores and other food-service outlets.
“These challenges, combined with changing consumer lifestyles and competitive pressures that have been building for over 20 years, made success very difficult," said board member Michael Ziebell, who has been at the company since the 1990s. "Digital shopping has replaced the personal, at-the-door customer interaction that was the hallmark of the company."
While I haven't eaten a Schwan's frozen food item in years, I feel a sadness. The yellow Schwan's truck was an exciting part of Midwestern suburban life and almost as thrilling as an actual ice cream truck. Despite our thirst for nostalgia and anything circa 2000, our digital reality, sadly, doesn't have room for the Schwan's guy.
Some of their offerings have changed over the years, but many are still available now, if you want to stock up. If you're looking to purchase products via a Schwan's Yelloh truck, November 8 will be the last day.
So, in honor of Schwan's driving its yellow truck into the sunset, here's a list of the many Schwan's products that we'll miss the most. Here's to you, Schwan's guy.
Frozen Pizza
A significant proportion of the Delish team grew up eating Schwan's frozen pizzas, from individual deep dish pepperoni pizzas to crispy French bread pizzas. According to the Schwan's Company website, the company owns the frozen pizza brand Red Baron Pizza, if you're looking to treat yourself to a frozen pie.Gallons Of Ice Cream
The company started off delivery its homemade ice cream back in the 1950s, so it goes without saying that the frozen treats have always been a favorite. My family's beloved flavor, Peppermint Stick ice cream, is full of peppermint candy pieces. I also remember Confetti Cake ice cream, which Schwan's reportedly brought back in 2019.Ice Cream Cups
Their individual servings of ice cream came with wooden spoons. Some had a chocolate swirl, and back in the day, there were also Confetti Cups that came with rainbow sprinkles on top, like the ones on Cosmic Brownies.Mini Bow Tie Pasta And Vegetables
This pasta might have been the key to getting kids to eat veggies. It's mini bow tie pasta mixed with diced red peppers, corn, shoestring carrots, and green peas.Sherbet Tubes
Sherbet and push pops scream childhood, and these Orange Sherbet Tubes (although I remember vaguely different packaging), were in the freezers of several Delish editors growing up.Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
As if the push pops aren't enough to send you back to your childhood, there's also French toast sticks. They just had to be popped in the microwave or oven (or now, air fryer) for a sweet and easy breakfast.Ice Cream Sandwiches
You can't go wrong with a classic. These ice cream sandwiches filled our freezers in the summer.Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Yep, some of us would eat this straight out of the bucket.What are some of your favorite Schwan's/Yelloh products? Drop your favorite Schwan's memories in the comments.
