Rebel Creamery files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after lawsuit. By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk August 17, 2026 at 12:23 pm EDT A brand of ice cream sold nationwide at stores such as Walmart, Kroger, and Safeway has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Rebel Creamery filed for bankruptcy protection in Utah as it appeals a judgment that awarded $23.785 million to rival Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Fox Business reported. In the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, Rebel said it had about $13.78 million in assets and $23.85 million in liabilities. Rebel Creamery said the judgment involving Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is under appeal, but accounts for most of the unsecured liabilities that Rebel listed in the bankruptcy filings. But it is not the only reason for the bankruptcy filing. A judge ruled that Rebel Creamery intentionally infringed and diluted Van Leeuwen's trade dress on its ice cream packages after the latter sued, saying that Rebel copied its ice cream pints design in 2021, Fox Business reported. The judge agreed and told Rebel to stop selling products that look like Van Leeuwen's. Rebel boasts that its ice cream is a keto-friendly option with the "lowest glycemic index ice cream in the market," USA Today reported. Rebel was founded in 2017. In addition to stores, the ice cream is also found in parlors in more than a dozen states. Latest consumer headlines: (C) 2026 Cox Media Group

Ice cream maker Rebel Creamery files for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $23.8M in packaging battle. Published Aug. 16, 2026, 2:50 a.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Ice cream maker Rebel Creamery has filed for bankruptcy after losing a packaging battle with rival Van Leeuwen - and being ordered to shell out $23.8 million. The Utah-based Rebel, which sells its low-carb Rebel Ice Cream at major retailers including Walmart, Target and Kroger, filed for Chapter 11 protection Friday in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah, The Street reported. The company listed between $10 million and $50 million in assets and the same amount in debts, according to its bankruptcy filing. The move comes less than a month after Rebel was ordered to turn over $23.785 million in profits to Van Leeuwen, after US District Judge Eric Komitee found that the business intentionally copied the New York ice cream company's packaging. Van Leeuwen sued Rebel in 2021, arguing that the Utah company had copied its packaging. Van Leeuwen's design features pastel-colored, monochrome pints with matching lids, black script lettering and a minimalist look. Komitee ordered Rebel to stop selling the infringing packaging and redesign its pints. "The evidence at trial left no doubt that Rebel infringed and diluted Van Leeuwen's trade dress and did so intentionally," Komitee wrote, according to the outlet. "As a result, Rebel will be enjoined from selling the infringing products and required to redesign its packaging to avoid any further infringement." The judge found that Rebel's packaging was similar enough to cause actual confusion among customers. "Rebel will also be required to disgorge its profits from selling infringing pints," Komitee wrote. "Van Leeuwen is entitled to $23.785 million of Rebel's profits from selling infringing ice cream pints," the judge added. Rebel denied the allegations and said its founders had not seen Van Leeuwen's packaging when they developed their own design. The company was founded in 2017, while Van Leeuwen - founded in 2008 - had introduced its current packaging in 2016. Rebel's pints began appearing in grocery stores in 2018 and were discovered by a Van Leeuwen employee later that year or in early 2019, according to court documents. During the case, Komitee rejected Rebel's explanation for how its packaging was developed. The judge said Rebel's testimony about the design process was fabricated and found that the similarity between the brands was unlikely to have happened by chance. Rebel filed an appeal Aug. 12 challenging the $23.8 million judgment, two days before its bankruptcy filing. Van Leeuwen was founded in New York City in 2008 by brothers Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen and Laura O'Neill, who started the company with a yellow ice cream truck before opening their first shop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in 2010. The company has grown from its New York roots into a national chain, with roughly 100 scoop shops across the US as of 2026.

Van Leeuwen teams with Melissa & Doug. June 25, 2026 Melissa & Doug is teaming up with Van Leeuwen for two limited-edition wooden pretend play sets - the Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen Scoop Shop Ice Cream Counter Play Set and the Scoop Pack Ice Cream Play Set. A signature Van Leeuwen Ice Cream flavor, Berry Good Imagination, inspired by Melissa & Doug will be also available at select locations. The limited-edition Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen collection brings an authentic Van Leeuwen scoop shop experience to life through imaginative, hands-on play. Kids can take orders, stack scoops, add toppings, serve cones and cups, and pay with play money. It also comes with special coins to redeem for a real free kids scoop at any Van Leeuwen shop. "We are thrilled to partner with Van Leeuwen to deliver the joy of both real and pretend ice cream," said Lauren DeFeo Duchene, president of Melissa & Doug and executive vice president at Spin Master. "They are the cherry on top as we reimagine one of our most-loved play patterns in a way that feels fresh, playful and deliciously fun for families. This collaboration builds on Melissa & Doug's leadership in ice cream pretend play by adding the distinctive charm of Van Leeuwen's realistic flavors and scoop shop details to the joy of sharing a treat together." "We've spent years thinking about how to create the best possible ice cream experience, and Melissa & Doug has done the same for imaginative play," said Ben Van Leeuwen, co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. "This partnership brings those two worlds together in a way that feels authentic to both brands. We think families are going to have a lot of fun with it." The Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen collection includes: * Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen Scoop Shop Ice Cream Counter Play Set ($64.99) This 29-piece wooden ice cream counter features realistic scoop-and-stack action, pretend Van Leeuwen flavors, play money, and two coins for real-world free kids' scoops. * Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen Scoop Pack Ice Cream Play Set ($12.99) A budget-friendly add-on to the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Counter or a delightful stand-alone, this set includes a realistic ice cream tub, two pretend scoops, a wooden spoon, and a coin redeemable for a real-world free kids' scoop. The limited-edition Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen play sets will be available while supplies last at MelissaAndDoug.com, the brand's flagship store in the Westchester Mall and on Melissa & Doug's TikTok Shop. The limited-edition flavor, Berry Good Imagination, will be available at select Van Leeuwen scoop shops in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Looking for a reprint of this article? From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today! JOIN TODAY to unlock your recommendations. Already have an account? Sign In