The Atlanta ice cream maker Carvel is one company that is steeped in tradition.
Many have memories of birthdays celebrated with its signature ice cream cakes or an ice cream sandwich eaten in the car every Saturday morning after soccer practice.
When a brand is built on nostalgia and childhood memories, any changes can be difficult to pass off to customers loyal to a product they know and love.
Still, the ice cream producer behind the motto "America's Freshest Ice Cream" is trying its luck in expanding on a classic.
What's A Strawberry Crunchie?
Carvel, which is owned by the larger Focus Brands and Roark Capital Group, announced that it is adding a strawberry flavor to its Crunchies product.
The crispy cookie pieces are often found atop Carvel's cakes, cones and ice cream sandwiches.
For years available solely in chocolate and vanilla, the Crunchies topping also settled firmly in many people's association of what a pretty ice cream cake should look like.
While Carvel experimented with churro-flavored Crunchies and Cookie Butter Crunchies in 2021, both were limited-edition items meant to test the market.
Strawberry Crunchies, meanwhile, will enter Carvel's regular offering and will be available on products like the Cake Cone, Strawberry Crunchies Cake and Strawberry Dasher ice cream sundae.
"We heard our fans who asked us for even more delicious opportunities to enjoy their favorite tastes through new offerings, and we are excited to continue to be a part of their life moments with our lineup of Strawberry Crunchies-filled treats," Jessica Osborne, vice president of marketing at Carvel, said in a statement.
The new Crunchies flavor will be available at Carvel shops across the country.
The Atlanta-based ice cream maker is concentrated in the Northeast and Florida. Amid inflation and regional differences, exact prices will also vary by location.
Nostalgia And Snack Foods Go Hand In Hand
In the last few years, many a fast-food chain has relied on the nostalgia factor for developing new products.
Most recently, iconic donut company Krispy Kreme (DNUT) unveiled three donuts inspired by General Mills (GIS)' Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.
White Castle, which has been around since 1921, recently leaned into its early streetcar days and announced plans to open a takeout-only location in Orlando.
Those who grew up watching "Mulan" were particularly excited to see McDonald's (MCD) temporarily bring back the elusive Szechuan sauce it launched to promote the movie in 1998 and quickly became a sensation.
This reliance on nostalgia of childhood eating experiences (or, for even older brands, fast food history) can be both a crutch and a powerful way to keep a dedicated customer base.
While chains like McDonald's thrive due to a menu that changes very little over the years, other companies keep customers coming back for products that keep appearing and disappearing.
Yum! Brands (YUM)-owned Taco Bell, for example, will regularly tease fans with the return of something like the Nacho Fries or the Mexican Pizza only to pull them off the menu after a couple of weeks.
Time will tell what Strawberry Crunchies will do for Carvel.
"Strawberry is one of our most popular flavors, and we knew putting a familiar twist on Crunchies, a classic that has been an integral part of Carvel's history, would be perfect for making new memories at all types of celebrations," Osborne said.
