Broughton ice cream brand going away

The Broughton name is not long for grocers' freezers.

Broughton Foods general manager Dave Broughton announced in a press release this week that the company's ice cream label is being phased out, starting Thursday.

"As consumer needs continue to change and move toward more variety and expansion into additional 'better-for-you' types of frozen desserts and ice creams, Broughton Foods finds that the breadth of these consumer desires is beyond our ability to sustain the Broughton label," the release says.

The Broughton label will continue to appear on dairy, juice and culture products like cottage cheese and sour cream.

The release does not indicate whether the change will affect any jobs locally; however, the ice cream has been manufactured by one of Broughton's sister companies through Dean Foods in recent years rather than in Marietta.

The release says Broughton "old favorites," such as cherry nut, will still be available under Dean Foods' Mayfield brand.

Bucky Lee, owner of Food-4-Less in Marietta, said he doesn't expect the disappearance of the Broughton label to lead to a drop-off in sales, but he's sorry to hear about it anyway.

"I kind of hate to see the label go," Lee said. "We've got people that (are) born and raised on Broughton's ice cream and it's sad to see that label phased out."

Beverly resident Pam Jackson worked at and managed the former Broughton store in Marietta and went on to manage the company's store division. She said she always buys Broughton ice cream and expects the Mayfield products to exhibit the same level of quality.

"It will be unfortunate not to see that Broughton label in the stores anymore," she said. "It's one that's easily recognizable as a local company."

The release does not indicate if the move will have any impact on the annual Broughton Ice Cream Social, which has raised more than $450,000 for local organizations since 1984. Dave Broughton could not be reached for comment Tuesday.