By Garland Pollard
Since the advent of hormone free milk, new national brands of milk have been established. That’s great. And it proves there is a market for national brands.
But there are some great milk brands that should have survived. Brands that would be PERFECT for marketing this new wave of milk. Like Sealtest.
Sealtest was such an important national brand that it had an ice cream parlor in Walt Disney World. The company also sponsored national network broadcasting, including the 1950s Sealtest Big Top show, which starred Ed McMahon (hey, he needs some work these days). It had a health theme, with Sealtest Bodybuilders for boys to emulate. It even sponsored a 1939 pavilion at the Flushing World’s Fair.
The brand was a sister brand to Breyer’s, and had associations of quality. Today, Sealtest Milk survives in Canada, but has disappeared from the shelves in the U.S. That’s too bad. Please bring it back. Below, an old commercial.
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40 responses so far ↓
1 Mark Johnson // Jan 30, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Yes, bring back the Sealtest name in the USA! My father worked for them from 1950-1964 – great quality products and good people behind them.
MJ
2 RHP // Feb 25, 2009 at 11:46 am
Bring back the Sealtest Light’n Lively Neopolitan ice milk.
3 Mackenzie Coryden // Mar 23, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Sealtest is NOT dead in the U.S. Someone I know who lives in Northeast Tennessee (Tri-Cities area) has seen Sealtest milk at Ingles and Food Country USA.
The name is owned by Asheville, NC-based Milkco, Inc.
4 Dicci Brignoni // Apr 23, 2009 at 7:22 pm
How I miss French Pistachio, there has never been another pistachio ice cream like it….
5 Bonnie Ray Campbell // Jul 28, 2009 at 6:13 pm
MY DAD WORKED FOR SEALTEST FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I MISS THAT MILK. PLEASE BRING IT BACK TO NORTH CAROLINA!
6 Barry Hurwitz // Oct 3, 2009 at 5:22 pm
My gradfather (my moyhers father) was plant manager in Worcester, Massachusetts. I remember when he worked there, he reired in 1958.
7 Barry Hurwitz // Oct 3, 2009 at 5:23 pm
That was suppose to Mothers father
8 Sunshine // Nov 10, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Sealtest…Mmmm…”Ice Milk”…Unique, Creamy, Delicious, “Ice Milk”! I Miss It…NOTHING Like It…Nowadays, Everything Is Artificial & Full Of GMOs…I Remember The Patchworks Too! Never Had The Chance To Try Lemon Chiffon Or French Pistachio…
9 M. Davis // Dec 18, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I grew up drinking sealtest milk and eating their ice cream. I would like to advertise its product here in the dallas/ft. worth, texas area because i do not see it or heard of it in this area and i have lived here over twenty years. Please e-mail me to let me know what you think of this idea.
10 Shelley // Feb 7, 2010 at 12:31 pm
t’s true, I was flying though Toronto’s airport in December and saw Sealtest Milk at one of the food courts there. Memories came flooding back of growing up with Sealtest milk and ice cream…maybe it will make a comeback in the USA.
11 Mickie // Jun 25, 2010 at 6:23 pm
My grandfather owned a Sealtest distributorship. I grew up eating the serving size containers of ice milk. He had the little wooden, flat spoons that came with it. It was treat we always look forward to when visiting his house. What a wonderful memory. I would love for Sealtest and that terrific ice milk to come back!
12 brock // Jun 27, 2010 at 5:09 pm
i remember ice milk also, although i’m not sure what the difference was between nice milk and ice cream – is it so simple as one used milk and the other cream?,… if so, why isn’t any company making ice milk today (Or are they?), since you would think it could be produced and sold more inexpensively and i remember it being at least equal and perhaps superior to ice cream…
13 Carol Seiffer // Jun 28, 2010 at 9:35 pm
Light N Lively Ice Milk was my treat while on
Weight Watchers many years ago. That’s
what helped me stay on my diet for a whole
year. Miss it terribly. Where can we get it,
or something comparable?
14 Lisa // Jul 3, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Sealtest was my favorite milk when I was a child. It had a special taste that was so good…no other milk had it. I have found a milk that has that “taste” and it is called Promised Land. I find it at Harris Teeter here in Nashville, TN.
Ice milk is probably what “lite” ice-cream is now. I much preferred ice milk to ice cream as a kid.
Someone mentioned the Lemon Chiffon…now that did bring back memories! It was so good. If they would bring Sealtest and Light n’ Lively back, they would make a fortune on nostalgia, alone!
15 Elizabeth // Aug 9, 2010 at 10:42 am
When I was about 3 or 4 my Papa-Don took me to the opening of a Sealtest franchise in Roanoke, Va. That was about 48 years ago. Sealtest had the bast French Onion dip I have ever had. Sure wish I could get some today.
16 Jermey // Sep 19, 2010 at 7:57 am
no they rnot any good every time i buy choc. milk of there brand it is roten or no goood . tirede of wasting money on them !!!!!
17 tommy // Sep 22, 2010 at 7:35 pm
My dad delivered Sealtest Milk for around 20 years to houses and stores. He delivered milk for 35 years. I helped him deliver milk when I was young and cherish those memories.
18 Susan // Oct 1, 2010 at 4:13 pm
I worked for Sealtest/Kraft for 25 years in Miami. The benefits from that job we’re so gooood! Unable to located in Florida these days. The premium ice cream cakes were to die for!!!
19 Buddy // Oct 29, 2010 at 1:37 pm
please bring back Light n Lively, in Florida
20 Buddy // Oct 29, 2010 at 1:38 pm
please bring back live n lively in florida
21 marsha // Nov 15, 2010 at 9:19 pm
I grew up on Sealtest & we had it delivered to our house. My mom, my aunt & one of our friends worked @ Sealtest for many years.
22 Tracy Murphy // Dec 18, 2010 at 4:43 pm
I bought 6 of your eggnog products and all had a very spicy taste to them and it was awful,were they overseasoned,I need to be reimbursed seriously.
23 bronson // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Sealtest had the best french onion dip, if I could buy bulk online I would.
24 greg // May 23, 2011 at 6:42 pm
i had always liked sealtest ice cream i wish they bring it back to wisconsin
25 Sealtest history | Gtby1 // May 30, 2011 at 2:53 am
[...] Bring Back Sealtest Milk. Yes. Of course. | BrandlandUSASealtest was such an important national brand that it had an ice cream parlor in Walt Disney World. The company also sponsored national network broadcasting, including the 1950s Sealtest Big Top show, which starred Ed McMahon (hey, he needs some work these days). … Official Brand History (4) [...]
26 marita // Jul 4, 2011 at 5:13 pm
I’m having a serious craving for some Sealtest chocolate chip ice cream. Nothing they sell in the stores today even comes close to the creamy taste of that vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips mixed in. Please bring it back.
27 JOHN MAINS // Jul 26, 2011 at 9:00 pm
I WORKED AT SEALTESR MIAMI AS PRODUCTION MANAGER IN THE EARLY 70′S
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO WAS THERE AT THAT TIME
28 Cecilia McAteer // Jul 28, 2011 at 7:18 am
I wish Sealtest Milk & Icecream would come back.
It was always my Favorite. I was raised on Sealtest Light milk 1% It was always the best. Wish it would come back. Thank you , Cecilia McAteer
29 Jeff // Jul 28, 2011 at 8:41 pm
I’d kill for the ice cream…it was just so good…it had a lightness that I really enjoyed. Probably air pumped in! But their flavors were spot on. Sitting here, I can literally remember how terrific Sealtest Chocolate tasted….another brand that got axed via mega mergers! (don’t recall if it was Unilever or Kraft that killed it! I think it was unilever–which owns Breyers)
30 June // Sep 12, 2011 at 8:04 pm
We would like to put together a BIG Sealtest get-together, good time bash for all of the people who worked for them (my Dad being one of them, 33 years) RSVP with your ideas.
31 Sad // Sep 24, 2011 at 5:38 pm
I sure with they would bring back Sealtest French Onion and Sealtest Clam Dip! They were the best. Nothing like it anywhere.
My parents and I used to eat it nearly every week for Family Night. Can’t get it anymore.
32 ed // Oct 6, 2011 at 9:39 am
Sealtest…Heavenly Hash Ice Cream the best ice cream ever!!!
33 Norman // Oct 31, 2011 at 12:31 pm
I too worked at Sealtest in Nashville Tennessee until their demise in 1983 when they were bought out by Malone and Hyde food distributors. A Great place to work with Great People! I miss those days…
34 Tom // Nov 9, 2011 at 4:48 am
I miss that creamy taste of their vanilla ice cream….
35 Sharon // Nov 14, 2011 at 8:06 pm
I have not had milk that taste as good as Sealtest. Why did it disappear from our dairy department? Please bring it back to the Fairview Heights and O’Fallon, IL area. It was the best milk. Please don’t change the recipe and make it taste different.
36 myron ray // Dec 9, 2011 at 1:39 pm
i think its sad that so many great brands of food and drink,have went by the wayside
sealtest products,borden milk,omar bakery products,charles chips,three wheeled ice cream carts,and street venders selling hot tomales.
a man named povinelli driving a truck around town.
he sharpened knives.
thats my take on it
myron ray
37 myron ray // Dec 9, 2011 at 1:48 pm
i think its sad how so many great products have went by the way side.
sealtest products,borden milk,omar bakery,charles chips,three wheeled ice cream carts,street venders selling hot tomales,man with pony taking pictures of children.
‘thats my take on it”
38 shawnee // Dec 24, 2011 at 7:13 am
I really miss the light & lively vanilla ice milk. It’s a fond memory of growing up. Wish they’d bring it back!
39 wayne // Jan 18, 2012 at 10:31 pm
I also worked for sealtest ice cream in the hartford ct market and I worked for tip top bread rember them both great places to work
40 Bob // Feb 1, 2012 at 1:59 pm
There has never been an ice cream as rich, smooth and dense as Sealtest. I suspect it was real cream and eggs that gave the vanilla it’s yellow richness. Breyer’s has the smoothness but not as rich a flavor. Other brands are “icy” with water crystals, weak and have a relatively imitation flavor. SEALTEST, I MISS YOU! (I miss Isaly’s too.)
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