July 20, 2021
It’s been a year of comfort food, and Kraft Heinz is partnering with Van Leeuwen to mix together two of the more commonly consumed options: The iconic blue box Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and ice cream.
“We know that there is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than ice cream. That is why we wanted to combine two of the most iconic comfort foods to create an ice cream with the unforgettable flavor of KraftMacaroni & Cheese we all grew up with,” said Emily Violett, senior associate brand manager for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.
The ice cream went up for sale to commemorate National Ice Cream Day and quickly sold out. Next to a picture of the orange scoops of ice cream in a blue pint container that features the brand’s signature orange noodle.
This uncommonly flavored ice cream is just the latest in a collection of unconventional varieties. In 2019, Coolhaus and French’s teamed up to sell a bright yellow mustard-flavored ice cream. Last year, Coolhaus collaborated with Mondelez to create a Crackers & Cream variety featuring buttery Ritz crackers. And earlier this year, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream made a savory Everything Bagel variety.
But if the prospects of eating Kraft Macaroni & Cheese-flavored ice cream aren’t enough for the discerning consumer, the press release from Kraft Heinz and Van Leeuwen plays up the flavor’s clean label aspects. Ingredients are minimal, the release says, and there are no artificial flavors, preservatives, and dyes. In fact, this ice cream’s ingredients include “Kraft cheese sauce mix.”
This mashup is Kraft Heinz’s newest way to innovate one of its oldest and most beloved brands. While the brand has made incremental ingredient changes and added different noodle shapes, the end product has largely been the same.