Just a few of the hundreds of flavors they’ve released over the years.
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Every time Blue Bell releases a new concoction or brings an old one back, some fans take the opportunity to wish it were a different flavor instead–probably a little hurtful to the new ice cream being introduced.
There are numerous Facebook and Reddit pages where fans have support group-like discussions about departed flavors they’re nostalgic over. It’s the usual suspects: Butter Crunch, Groom’s Cake, Krazy Kookie Dough, Red Velvet, Creole Cream Cheese and the wonderfully named Pink Camo ‘n Cream, among countless others fans are regularly clamoring for.
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So the question then becomes: Is Blue Bell listening?
“Consumer feedback means the world to us,” a spokesperson told Chron. “We keep a careful list of all consumer flavor requests and review them several times a year to decide which classic flavors to bring back.”
The Blue Bell roster
It’s important to remember that there’s only so much room in the ice cream aisle, and Blue Bell can’t just manifest every flavor they’ve ever created. That’s too much goodness, and even if they did, it would probably shut down the state of Texas. So they keep to a regular roster and occasionally give the nod to an old veteran to suit up.
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“Over the last four decades, the company has brought more than 250 unique flavors to market. Annually, production capacity supports about 40 different flavors,” Blue Bell told Chron. “Half of these are year-round staples, while the other half consists of featured, seasonal, and new releases.”
Old pic of ice cream being packed up at a Blue Bell factory.
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Take Moo-llennium Crunch, for instance. It was introduced in 2000 for a limited time in honor of the new millennium. So one would assume that after that limited time elapsed and Blue Bell took it off shelves, Moo-llennium Crunch wouldn’t return until the year 3000, long after we’re all dead. Will the robots that take over even be eating ice cream then?
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The wait won’t be necessary. “Some of our creations resonate so strongly that they become permanent fixtures,” Blue Bell said. “A perfect example is Moo-llennium Crunch … its overwhelming popularity transformed it into one of our standard, year-round flavors.”
When fans use AI to design new flavors
Perhaps the most unique form of flavor requests is when fans actually use AI image programs to design the label for a new flavor concept they wish existed. Some go over well, like the recently suggested S’mores with Fudge Swirl, which apparently would feature “vanilla ice cream loaded with graham cracker bits, marshmallow puff pieces, and rich chocolate fudge swirled throughout.”
Others, not so much. That’s what occurred when one fella invented the idea of Gummy Shark Sherbet, a “Galveston summer adventure!” that hypothetically consists of raspberry sherbet, blue gummy sharks, and swirls of blue raspberry sherbet. A parade of “Ughs” and “No’s” followed in the comments, with one piece of feedback reading: “People would literally choke and die on the gummies. Gummies get rock hard when mixed in ice cream, I’ve tried it. Definitely no bueno.”
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Blue Bell Creameries in Brenham, Texas.
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Suffice to say, Blue Bell does keep an ear open, but they also have teams of people working on this stuff who seem to know what they’re doing.
“Our inspiration comes from a wide variety of channels,” Blue Bell told Chron. “From employee ideas and consumer feedback to treasured family recipes and industry trends, our outstanding R&D team continuously refines these concepts to bring innovative new products and flavors to market.”
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That said, I’d totally go for that ridiculous gummy shark sherbet and would happily sign a waiver before buying it. So if you’re listening, Blue Bell, make it happen.
Dining and Cooking