Ben & Jerry’s secretly launched a new vegan ice cream flavor at Target.
Called Chocolate Salted ‘n Swirled, Ben & Jerry’s new dairy-free ice cream features a chocolate almond milk base swirled with chocolate sandwich cookies and salted caramel. A Ben & Jerry’s representative confirmed that the flavor is exclusive to Target.
“When salty meets sweet & chunk meets swirl, it’s more than your average love story: it’s a non-dairy flavor you can bank all your forevers on, with dreamy chocolate, salted caramel, & chocolate cookies. It can’t wait to meet your parents,” says the website.
The Vermont-based brand first launched vegan ice cream in four flavors in February 2016. Ben & Jerry’s flavor guru Kirsten Schimoler told Forbes at the time that the company tested more than 60 versions of certain flavors while perfecting the recipe.
The new launch brings the total number of vegan Ben & Jerry’s ice cream pints on offer up to 12. Four-packs of mini cups featuring the nondairy flavors Chunky Monkey and Chocolate Fudge Brownie are also available.
Last April, the multinational ice cream giant introduced a new vegan treat: cookie dough bites.
“Ever since we introduced nondairy in 2016, our fans have been clamoring for more,” said Ben & Jerry’s flavor guru Sarah Fidler. “The biggest challenge this time was creating a chocolate chip cookie dough flavor that stood up to the original. I think we nailed it.”
Vegan Ice Cream Gets Cool
Vegan ice cream is becoming increasingly mainstream, with experts predicting that the global market will reach $1 billion by 2024. The interest is attributed to consumers seeking healthier alternatives to traditional dairy-based ice cream.
The report also credits mainstream brands such as Ben & Jerry’s and Swedish Glace in Europe with making vegan ice cream more appealing to new customers.
Other big name ice cream brands that have launched dairy-free options in recent years include Magnum, Häagen-Dazs, and Breyers. Target launched vegan almond milk ice cream through its private label brand, Archer Farms, last October. The range features seven flavors: Cashew Caramel, Caramel Brownie, Vanilla Cake & Cookie Dough, Mocha Almond Fudge, Strawberry & Fudge, Peanut Butter & Chocolate, and Vanilla Bean.
Ben & Jerry’s new vegan flavor is now available at Target stores nationwide.
