Rose Mattus, co-founder of Haagen-Dazs

HACKENSACK, New Jersey – Rose Mattus, who launched Haagen-Dazs ice cream with her husband, peddling the super-premium treat in grocery stores, ha died.

She was 90. Mattus died 10 days ago, according to Gutterman-Musicant Funeral Directors in Hackensack.Mattus, who lived in Cresskill, New Jersey, had been the controller of Haagen-Dazs Inc.Her husband, Reuben Mattus, died in 1994.The company was formed in 1961, having morphed from her husband’s family’s decades-old business in New York City’s Bronx borough.Reuben Mattus concocted the nonsensical name Haagen-Dazs, which means nothing in any language, for the brand that became famous for its super-rich recipes.During the company’s early years, Rose Mattus would offer samples in grocery stores.”Rose and Reuben were pioneers and legends in the ice cream field,” said Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company.Pillsbury Co acquired Haagen-Dazs in 1983; a profile of Reuben Mattus a few years later said he received about US$70 million in the deal.Haagen-Dazs is now owned by Nestle SA.Even though she had diabetes, Rose Mattus was a fan of her product, particularly vanilla, said her daughter Doris Mattus Hurley.”If it was anywhere in sight, she would sneak it,” Hurley told The Record of Bergen County.”My dad was always yelling, ‘Rose, get out of the ice cream!’ But she lived to be 90, so I guess it didn’t do her too much harm.”Nampa-APMattus died 10 days ago, according to Gutterman-Musicant Funeral Directors in Hackensack.Mattus, who lived in Cresskill, New Jersey, had been the controller of Haagen-Dazs Inc.Her husband, Reuben Mattus, died in 1994.The company was formed in 1961, having morphed from her husband’s family’s decades-old business in New York City’s Bronx borough.Reuben Mattus concocted the nonsensical name Haagen-Dazs, which means nothing in any language, for the brand that became famous for its super-rich recipes.During the company’s early years, Rose Mattus would offer samples in grocery stores.”Rose and Reuben were pioneers and legends in the ice cream field,” said Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company.Pillsbury Co acquired Haagen-Dazs in 1983; a profile of Reuben Mattus a few years later said he received about US$70 million in the deal.Haagen-Dazs is now owned by Nestle SA.Even though she had diabetes, Rose Mattus was a fan of her product, particularly vanilla, said her daughter Doris Mattus Hurley.”If it was anywhere in sight, she would sneak it,” Hurley told The Record of Bergen County.”My dad was always yelling, ‘Rose, get out of the ice cream!’ But she lived to be 90, so I guess it didn’t do her too much harm.”Nampa-AP