The global ice cream industry is dominated by a few massive conglomerates that own many of the brands you see in grocery stores. Unilever is the undisputed world leader, commanding nearly 20% of the global market. Their portfolio includes international powerhouses like Magnum (the world's #1 individual ice cream brand), Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, and Talenti. In March 2024, Unilever announced plans to spin off its ice cream division into a standalone business to focus more on its health and wellness sectors, a move that would create the world's largest independent ice cream company.

The other major global force is Nestlé, which often competes neck-and-neck with Unilever for market share. Nestlé operates many of its brands through Froneri, a massive joint venture with PAI Partners. This partnership manages well-known names like Dreyer's (known as Edy's in the Eastern U.S.), Drumstick, and Häagen-Dazs (though ownership of Häagen-Dazs is split, with General Mills owning the brand in most countries outside North America). Beyond these giants, specialized players like Inspire Brands—which owns Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest chain of specialty ice cream shops—and India's Amul, a cooperative giant that dominates its massive domestic market, remain critical pillars of the global industry.