Winter hasn’t put the freeze on ice cream launches.
Major players in the ice cream business like Ben & Jerry’s, Häagen-Dazs and Mars are kicking off the year with a fresh scoop of inventive new flavors.
Even Novel Ice Cream is catching attention with one of the year’s most unexpected collaborations – a co-branded creation with Houston, Texas-based waste removal company WM (formerly known as Waste Management).
Here’s a roundup of top ice cream launches of the year … so far.
Ben & Jerry’s Sundaes
Burlington, Vt.-based ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s launched three new flavors in February – Straw-Bae, PB Blondie Bestie and Mocha Mood Pie.
The new flavors follow the highly successful Sundaes line released in 2025, which included Dulce De-lish! Sundae, Choco-lotta Cheesecake Sundae, Turtle Sundae and the fan favorite, Cookie Vermont-ster, according to a press release.
Straw-Bae Shortcake includes shortcake cookies, strawberry swirls and shortcake crumble.
PB Blondie Bestie features peanut butter ice cream, graham crackers and blonde brownie swirls. It is finished with a caramel topping and mini peanut butter cups.
Mocha Mood is a collaboration with coffeemaker BLK & Bold and includes chocolate cookies, cookie swirls, fudge-swirled whipped topping and fudge chips.
“Knowing how much our fans LOVE our Sundaes, it only made sense to add more flavors just in time for Valentine’s Day,” said Haylee Nelson, Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Guru. “Bringing the sundae experience home was all about convenience, fun and flavor … and our fans told us we more than delivered on that excitement.”
Häagen-Dazs chases indulgence
Häagen-Dazs released a suite of new products in late January that urge ice cream lovers to indulge and savor every bite.
The six-SKU lineup includes: Dark Cherry Truffle, a cherry vanilla ice cream with cocoa truffles and cherry sauce; Cherry Dark Chocolate Bar, cherry ice cream with cherry sauce swirls encased in dark chocolate; Coffee Almond Toffee, a Brazilian coffee ice cream with toffee and almonds; Toasted Coconut Crunch Bar, coconut ice cream in milk chocolate; Dulce De Leche Mini Bars wrapped in rich milk chocolate; and Peanut Butter Brittle, a peanut butter-flavored ice cream with praline peanuts and caramel butter ripples.
“This year, we’re inviting consumers to take their time and slow down in a world that’s always rushing,” says Rachel Jaiven, head of marketing at Häagen-Dazs. “With this, we’re so excited to introduce a new suite of flavors including Dark Cherry Truffle and Cherry Dark Chocolate, all made with our rich and creamy ice cream that you really don’t want to rush.”
Mars goes mini
Mars’ Snickers brand is going in the opposite direction with the January release of its Snickers Ice Cream Minis.
“Consumers are seeking mini-sized items more so than ever, for little moments of snackable enjoyment throughout the day,” Mars said in a press release. “Snickers Ice Cream Minis pack all the signature textures and flavors fans love – creamy ice cream, smooth caramel, crunchy nuts and a chocolatey shell – into a few perfectly snackable bites.”
The line comes in five flavors: Original, Crunchy Peanut Butter, Almond, Salted Caramel and M&M-flavored.
The minis come in packs of 10 and hit the shelves exclusively at Walmart.
A Novel collaboration
Novel Ice Cream lives up to its name with the release of an unusual collaboration – WPMO Green Dream.
The mint ice cream includes chocolate chips and pretzels, topped with green and yellow candies.
The sweet treat is a dual collaboration of sorts, as the limited-edition ice cream celebrates the WM Phoenix Open golf tournament, sponsored by the company formerly known as Waste Management.
The ice cream was available Feb. 3-8 and created exclusively for the golf tournament, WM said in a press release.
“The WM Phoenix Open is much more than a golf tournament – it’s a celebration of sustainability, community and innovation,” said David Brannon, Four Corners area vice president, WM. “Collaborating with Novel Ice Cream to create a signature green ice cream flavor – WMPO Green Dream – is a fun way to engage fans while fundraising for causes that support the Arizona community.
“Whether fans are cooling off with a scoop or learning about our zero-waste efforts in the WM Green Scene, where the ice cream will be sold, we hope this new offering inspires them to see how small moments can contribute to a bigger impact.”
