The map above shows Europe and the many names of the Heartbrand ice cream name that each country uses.
Walk into any convenience store across Europe and you’ll likely spot that familiar red heart logo on ice cream packaging. But here’s the twist: the name beneath that heart changes dramatically depending on which country you’re in.
What Americans know as Good Humor and Brits call Wall’s goes by dozens of different names across the European continent, each with its own fascinating backstory.
The Unilever Empire
This confusing array of names all belongs to Heartbrand, Unilever’s massive ice cream division that operates in over 40 countries worldwide.
Rather than forcing a single brand name across all markets, Unilever has maintained the local names of ice cream companies they’ve acquired over the decades—a strategy that has created one of the most geographically diverse brand portfolios in the food industry.
Northern Europe: From Scandinavian Classics To Baltic Traditions
In Scandinavia, the brand operates under some of its most distinctive names.
GB Glace dominates Sweden, a name that harks back to the company’s origins in Gothenburg. Norway’s Diplom-Is carries an air of premium quality in its very name, while Denmark’s Frisko evokes the crisp, refreshing nature of their Nordic climate.
The Baltic states each tell their own story: Estonia’s Baltimax reflects the region’s post-Soviet rebranding era, while Latvia’s Algida shares its name with several other European markets, creating small pockets of brand consistency across the continent.
Western Europe: Where Tradition Meets Modernity
Germany’s Langnese represents one of the oldest names in the Heartbrand family, dating back to 1935 when Karl Langnese began selling ice cream from a bicycle cart in Hamburg. The brand survived World War II and became synonymous with German summer traditions.
France’s Miko and the Netherlands’ Ola both carry cheerful, upbeat sounds that match their marketing approach, while Belgium’s split market reflects the country’s linguistic divide—though both communities share the same Heartbrand quality.
Southern Europe: Mediterranean Flavors, Local Names
Italy’s Algida shares its name with several other markets, but the brand has deeply embedded itself in Italian gelato culture. Spain’s Frigo keeps things simple and memorable, while Portugal’s Olá adds a welcoming Portuguese greeting to the ice cream experience.
Greece’s Algida completes the Mediterranean trifecra, though the brand has adapted its offerings to include uniquely Greek flavors and preferences, proving that while names may vary, local taste always matters.
Eastern Europe: Post-Socialist Success Stories
The transformation of Eastern European markets after 1989 created unique opportunities for Heartbrand expansion.
Countries like Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary saw Algida become synonymous with Western-quality ice cream, representing a taste of prosperity during economic transition periods.
These markets often embraced the Algida name as a symbol of international standards and quality, making it one of the most successful brand introductions in post-communist Europe.
The Heart Remains The Same
Despite this bewildering array of names, the red heart logo serves as the universal identifier, creating brand recognition even when the name changes every few hundred kilometers. This strategy has allowed Unilever to maintain local authenticity while building a truly European ice cream empire—one heart, many names, countless summer memories.
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