Few foods are as popular in Billings as Wilcoxson’s Ice Cream.

People who have moved away have been heard to lament the loss of access to Wilcoxson’s ice cream. Some regularly order it to be shipped. Parents have been under strict orders to bring a box of Wilcoxson’s Fudge Bars when visiting their college students. Even kids, ever the ice cream fans, have been heard to insist that it be Wilcoxson’s.

No doubt about it – Wilcoxson’s is a beloved Montana institution. So it is understandable that the company’s new major shareholder, Neil Schultz, says he is dedicated to making sure the company remains a Montana company and that he has no plans to change the time-tested recipes or production processes.

News of the business sale was announced a couple weeks ago in the Bozeman Chronicle. Schultz acquired a majority stake in the company from Livingston resident Matt Schaeffer, prior president and company CEO, who has been involved with the ice cream manufacturer for more than 45 years. Schaeffer remains a minority shareholder and will continue an involvement in the company.

Schultz, who is a Billings native now living in Bozeman, told the Chronicle, “Montana is Wilcoxson’s country, and keeping Wilcoxson’s in Montana hands was important to both of us. We’re keeping jobs here in Montana and are excited about creating new opportunities for folks.”

Wilcoxson’s is the largest ice cream manufacturer in Montana and has distributed its products throughout Montana and Wyoming for the past 112 years.

It was founded by Carl Wilcoxson in Livingston in 1912. A manufacturing branch of Wilcoxson’s is located in Billings at 114 N 19th Street, which is where they make Wilcoxson’s Ice Cream Bars, Ice Cream Sandwiches and the Fudge Bar. It’s been in operation since the 50s.

Schultz said he gained his experience in food production and packaging from training in industrial design and working for Juicero, a food manufacturing startup.

Schultz cofounded Altrac, an agricultural company specializing in irrigation and frost protection automation that’s used by growers in the Flathead Valley. Schultz sold the company to Semios, a Canadian AgTech company, in 2021.

Schultz said his vision is to carefully bring Wilcoxson’s into the 21st century, expanding freezer capacity and modernizing distribution, while respecting the company’s rich heritage.