The more than 125,000 visitors a year who pass through the doors of the red brick creamery to tour the facility are immediately enveloped by the aroma of sugar, chocolate, fresh fruit, baked goods from the on-site bakery, and—the ultimate reward—ice cream.
Ironically, the creamery that would become synonymous with ice cream started out as a butter manufacturer in 1907, doing business as Brenham Creamery Company. Four years later, the first and second gallon of ice cream were produced (because the ice cream had to be hand-cranked, production was limited to a maximum of two gallons a day). Modern production methods enable a single line at the Brenham plant to churn out up to 50 half-gallons per minute!

The Kruse Legacy
For the first few years, it was a Rocky Road to success (the flavor debuted in 1979), but 1919 marked the beginning of a new era with the hiring of E.F. Kruse as manager. From that day forward, management of the creamery—which changed its name to Blue Bell Creameries in 1930 at Kruse’s suggestion—has remained in the Kruse family. In the past 90 years, there have been only three other managers: E.F.’s sons, Ed. F. and Howard Kruse, and Ed. F.’s son, Paul, the current CEO and president.
Like his grandfather, E.F., an education major, Paul Kruse originally had no plans to become involved in the ice cream business. A graduate of Texas A & M and Baylor Law School, he set up a private law practice in Brenham and declined his father’s first two overtures to work at Blue Bell. Apparently, the third time was a charm. Kruse wrapped up his pending legal cases and joined the company as legal counsel in 1986.
Leadership has changed hands seamlessly with each successive generation building on E.F.’s legacy. Paul Kruse is proud to point out that despite economic ups and downs, not just of late, but over the years, the company has never had any lay-offs. “Our employees know their jobs are here,” he says with assurance. “We’re in it for the long term.”

Texas Ingredients
Technological advances have allowed production to become more efficient, but Blue Bell still strives to use the freshest ingredients available and still buys locally, whenever possible. Nearly 60,000 cows—many of them on area farms—supply the milk that is delivered daily to the four plant sites; the main one in Brenham is the largest consumer. Eggs come from a San Antonio-area supplier; native Texas pecans are provided by suppliers based in El Paso and San Antonio; and, when in season, the cantaloupes in Pecos Cantaloupes & Cream come from west Texas. Even non-food products are sourced locally, with much of the packaging coming from suppliers in Dallas and Paris, Texas.
While the company likes to hold on to what is good about the past, it’s also willing to embrace the future. The creamery is a “no waste” plant to the greatest extent possible, recycling plastic, corrugated, metal and other materials that are by-products of the production process. Even discarded banana peels are fed to the cows.

The Future of Ice Cream
Kruse has fond memories of going to the creamery on Sunday afternoons with his dad, who would take all four kids in order to give his wife a break. “We would run around barefoot and beg to go inside cold storage,” he reminisces with a smile. Of course, his dad always refused, knowing their bare feet would stick to the frozen floor.
It’s no surprise another favorite childhood memory involves ice cream. “Until I was 16-years old, I drank warm, raw milk from my grandmother’s cows and we would make homemade ice cream on her farm.” Thinking of the work involved, he says ruefully, “It makes you appreciate being able to go to the store to buy Blue Bell.”
    One has to wonder, having been born with an ice cream spoon in his mouth, does Kruse ever get tired of it? “No, no,” he says, laughing. Apparently, neither does anyone else in his family. His three children—a 16-year old daughter, 14-year old son, and 12-year old daughter—do their best to support the family business. “Our kids eat ice cream for breakfast and won’t go to bed without a bowl of it.”
    As much as they appreciate the finished product, does he envision his kids going into the ice cream business? His 16-year old daughter worked as a tour guide this summer and told her mother that the cost of her prom dress was three weeks’ worth of work. Kruse takes a philosophical view of their future involvement. “I’m probably going to do the same thing my dad did­—tell them to get their own business. They’ll do whatever is a good fit.” He pauses, then muses, “They could end up here.”
As for his own future plans, Kruse is genuinely surprised when people mention the idea of his slowing down. “I don’t want to take it easy,” says the CEO who, on occasion, can be spotted on the plant floor, personally giving visitors a tour of the facility.
As further proof that “The Little Creamery in Brenham” is no longer a reference to size, but to the Blue Bell state of mind, Kruse says, “We want to do it right and do the right thing.”