In 1928, William Dreyer and Joseph Edy shook hands on a partnership to make the highest quality ice cream possible. They opened a small ice cream factory at 3315 Grand Avenue in Oakland, California, and "Grand" has been part of the company name ever since -- as both a memento of the company's birthplace on Grand Avenue and a declaration of the magnificence of their ice cream.   

In 1977, T. Gary Rogers and William F. Cronk purchased the company. In 1977, it was valued at one million dollars, with 75 employees, a product line of full-fat ice creams, sales of six million dollars, and operations mainly in Northern California. In 1998, Edy's Grand Ice Cream became a company 3,000 people strong, offering a wide array of frozen desserts, with a billion dollars in revenues, and operations throughout the United States and abroad.  

Edy's has developed long-term business relationships with selected companies whose nationally recognized branded products strategically complement Edy's product offering. These "Partner Brands" are managed through Edy's distribution network and include a line of premium and super-premium ice creams in addition to a line of high quality novelties.

Edy's Partner Brands are: Ben & Jerry's, Nestlé Ice Cream Co., and ConAgra's Healthy Choice Ice Cream, in addition to other regionally distributed products. In 1999, Partner Brands accounted for 35% of Edy's total revenues.