Free Cone Day at Carvel Ice Cream Shoppes Carvel Celebrates Free Cone Day with an Opportunity to Give Back to the American Red Cross

ATLANTA (April 22, 2013) – Carvel America’s Freshest Ice Cream®, is marking April 25^th as Free Cone Day.  From 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., all participating Carvel® Ice Cream shoppes will be offering a free junior cone of their famous soft serve ice cream. In addition, Carvel is encouraging customers to make a $2 donation to support the American Red Cross® by rewarding those that donate with a coupon book worth up to $20 of savings. Carvel will make a minimum donation of $25,000 to support the American Red Cross. 

“Free Cone Day at Carvel Ice Cream Shoppes means summer is near. This year it is both an opportunity to indulge with a cone of America’s Freshest Ice Cream™ and to give back to the community by supporting American Red Cross Disaster Relief,” said Lori Peterson, vice president of marketing at Carvel.   

“The American Red Cross is proud to partner with Carvel Ice Cream on Free Cone Day for their support of our organization. This program will help the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters at home and around the world,” said Josh Lockwood, chief executive officer of the Greater New York Region for the American Red Cross. 

Carvel will be making a $25,000 charitable donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. “We are honored to give back to the community and treat our loyal fans to a free cone of America’s Freshest Ice Cream,” said Scott Colwell, president of Carvel Ice Cream. 

Please visit www.carvel.com to find a Carvel Ice Cream shoppe participating in Free Cone Day. 

About the American Red Cross The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog athttp://blog.redcross.org. 

About Carvel Ice Cream The United States’ first retail ice cream franchise, Carvel® Ice Cream has become one of the best-loved and most recognized names in its industry. The company is a leading provider of premium soft serve and hand dipped ice cream products, as well as uniquely shaped ice cream cakes, including its signature Fudgie the Whale^® and Cookie Puss^® cakes.  Atlanta-based Carvel currently operates over 450 franchised and food service locations, and is a part of FOCUS Brands Inc., the franchisor of Carvel^® Ice Cream, Cinnabon^®, Schlotzsky’s^®, Moe’s Southwest Grill^®, Auntie Anne’s^® and Seattle’s Best Coffee^® on military bases and in certain international markets. Visit www.carvel.com for more information, follow us on Twitter @CarvelIceCream of become a fan at http://facebook.com/CarvelIceCream 

Spring has officially hatched at Baskin-Robbins with introduction of new ice cream Chick Cake

Baskin-Robbins Partners with the Tip Junkie Blog to Make 

its Chick Cake the Center of Attention this Season

CANTON, Mass.  (March 20, 2013) – Spring has arrived at Baskin-Robbins as the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops today announced the newest addition to its innovative selection of ice cream cakes – the Chick Cake. Bright and cheery on the outside, delicious on the inside with a customizable combination of Baskin-Robbins ice cream and cake, the Chick Cake is sure to be the centerpiece of any table this season. Also available this spring is the Chick Individual Treat, which is the perfect single serving partner to accompany Baskin-Robbins’ new Chick Cake.

“At Baskin-Robbins, we’re always looking for delicious and festive ways to celebrate different seasons throughout the year with our guests,” said Stan Frankenthaler, Baskin-Robbins Executive Chef and Vice President of Innovation at Dunkin’ Brands. “This spring, we wanted to create a memorable cake that really brought the season to life with bright colors and a whimsical design. The Chick Cake will not only delight ice cream lovers, but will also effortlessly serve as an impressive centerpiece that will brighten any table.”

To help celebrate spring, Baskin-Robbins has partnered with popular craft blogger, Laurie Turk of TipJunkie.com, to share fun and helpful tips for creating the perfect tablescape featuring the Chick Cake this season.

“I love entertaining and I’m always looking for new ways to surprise my guests with creative and thoughtful touches for a party setting,” said Turk. “The Baskin-Robbins Chick Cake is so adorable, it’s a centerpiece on its own, and lends itself well to decorative complements that taken together create a fun tablescape that really celebrates the season of spring.”

Here are Laurie’s tips for a “do-it-yourself” tablescape for the Baskin-Robbins Chick Cake:

·         Start at the bottom. Decorate from the bottom upward - table cloth, place mat, plate, etc. It's important to have a solid foundation from which to build off. Consider using wrapping paper instead of a plastic table cloth. You still have the benefit of a clean and more sophisticated look, with all of the fun patterns and colors to choose from.

·         Add comfort. Objects that grow naturally bring warmth and a comforting feeling to your guests, so be sure to add plants and flowers to your table. This also applies to fabrics and ribbon (such as those made from cotton).

·         Layer. Create an eye-catching table by adding dimension and layers to your decor. Instead of putting the napkin on the side of the plate, place it on top with a ribbon for a pop of color. Resist the urge to place things in rows and try putting them on top of each other instead.

·         Mix patterns. There are two different types of patterns: organic and geometric. Geometric patterns show straight lines, circles, triangles, rectangles and polygons. Organic patterns are shapes we find in nature like leaves, flowers or waves. The key to mixing patterns is to use one organic and one geometric pattern. Mixing two or more of the same type of pattern becomes messy and makes it hard for the eye to focus.

·         Keep it simple. When planning any tablescape, stick with two or three colors. Many times adding a fourth color can quickly take decor from chic to cheap.

For more information about Baskin-Robbins’ frozen treats and its Chick Cake, visit www.BaskinRobbins.com or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BaskinRobbins) or on Twitter (www.twitter.com/BaskinRobbins).

About Baskin-Robbins

Named the top ice cream and frozen dessert franchise in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine’s 31st annual Franchise 500® ranking, Baskin-Robbins is the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops. Baskin-Robbins creates and markets innovative, premium hard scoop ice cream and soft serve, custom ice cream cakes and a full range of beverages, providing quality and value to consumers at nearly 7,000 retail shops in nearly 50 countries. Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 by two ice cream enthusiasts whose passion led to the creation of more than 1,000 ice cream flavors and a wide variety of delicious treats. In 2012, more than 13.3 million ice cream cakes were sold in Baskin-Robbins shops worldwide. For the full-year 2012, Baskin-Robbins' shops had global franchisee-reported sales of approximately $1.9 billion. Headquartered in Canton, Mass., Baskin-Robbins is part of the Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For further information, visit www.BaskinRobbins.com.

Figo Means Cool!

Premium Ice Cream Manufacturer Boulder Homemade Introduces Artisan-made, 

Slow Batch-crafted Figo! Organic Gelato for National Market Launch

Super premium, non-GMO Figo! Organic Gelato, made in the Italian artisanal slow batch-crafted tradition, will debut at Natural Products Expo West in March 2013 with immediate distribution in leading natural foods stores and supermarkets in the Rocky Mountain region, and is positioned to become the leading national organic gelato brand.


Boulder, CO (February 19, 2013) – Figo! Organic Gelato, a super premium, USDA Certified Organic, non-GMO gelato line made by Boulder Homemade Inc., will soon be available in leading natural foods stores and supermarkets in the Rocky Mountain region, and the company is positioning the new organic gelato brand for national distribution in Spring 2013.

As part of a strategic national launch, Figo! Organic Gelato will debut its sophisticated, seven-flavor, slow batch-crafted organic gelato line to buyers and media at Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products industry trade show, held March 7-10, 2013, in Anaheim, California.

Made in the authentic, traditional style using recipes created under the guidance of a master Italian gelato maker, Figo!, which means ‘cool’ in Italian, is slow-batch churned by Italian crafted machinery. The ten-gallon Italian-made machines use a proprietary slow-churn process to create an ideal mixture of low air and butter fat, which lends to the gelato’s smooth, creamy and rich texture while creating under one-tenth of a percent of product waste, and a lower fat, premium product.

All Figo! Organic Gelato flavors are USDA Certified Organic, non-GMO, gluten free and egg free.

Committed to Quality and Sustainability
Boulder Homemade’s commitment to sustainability is a driving force in its premium ingredient selection, manufacturing and packaging processes. The company sources certified organic milk from Colorado dairies, and handcrafts its organic ice cream and gelato products in a zero waste, wind-powered facility. In addition, Figo! Organic Gelato comes in BPA-free packaging.

“Each of our unique flavors contains finely tuned ingredient combinations to create a symphony of flavor. Each ingredient is crucial to the overall flavor profile that we feel creates a standout product for the marketplace,” explains Scott Roy, CEO and President of Boulder Homemade Inc., which got its start in 1992 as a regional super premium ice cream manufacturer and retailer in Boulder, Colorado.

Figo! Organic Gelato will offer seven distinctive flavor varieties appealing to a modern taste palate: Salted Caramel Café made with real caramel; Chocolate Duet, a blend of cocoa powder and molten chocolate; Chocolate Peanut Butter; Coconut Almond Chip; Cool Limone fresh lemon juice and zest; Pure Pistachio; and Vanilla Trio—a blend of Tahitian, Madagascan and Bourbon vanillas.

Figo! Organic Gelato will be available in non-mixed 8-pint cases. The MSRP is $4.99 per pint. The full line of seven flavors will be available for distribution through UNFI Rocky Mountain region and retail placement in Spring 2013 with further regional and national distribution to follow.

About Boulder Homemade Inc.
Boulder Ice Cream has long been known for its homemade style ice cream. Founded in 1992 as an ice cream parlor on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, CO, its ice cream was made using salt and ice churns – famous for creating rich, dense and creamy ice cream. In 1998, the company expanded with the introduction of pints of all natural ice cream into leading natural foods stores and supermarkets. With the launch of Figo! Organic Gelato for the national market, Boulder Homemade Inc.’s legacy of artisan, handcrafted ice cream is alive and well more than 20 years later. For more information about Boulder Homemade Inc. and Figo! Organic Gelato visit www.bouldericecream.com and www.figogelato.com.

Dubba's Note: Figo was formerly known as Sorano Gelato. It's the same quality processes, same company, just a new look to help expand the customer base.

Kim & Scott's Crave Bar Takes a Bite Out of SxSW 2013

#CraveFace Campaign, Unique App Distribution Debuts

AUSTIN, Texas, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Kim and Scott Holstein , the duo behind Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels, is introducing its new ice cream novelty product at the 2013 South by Southwest (SxSW) annual music, film and interactive conference and festival held in Austin, March 8-17.  

Kim & Scott's Crave Bar is available immediately at thecravebar.com, specialty markets and entertainment venues.  The sweet and savory indulgence features premium vanilla ice cream topped with rich dark chocolate and bits of hard pretzels and sea salt, all on a crunchy chocolate and caramel dipped pretzel rod. 

"SxSW is an ideal stage for us to introduce The Crave Bar," said Kim Holstein , Chief Inspiration Officer of Kim & Scott's Crave Bar.  "We know the festival goers will not only crave our new ice cream bar, but also respond positively to the Kim & Scott's CraveFace interactive campaign and our distribution through the BUZZtheBar app."

CraveFace, an interactive campaign created by Chicago's Simple Truth, celebrates the Crave Bar experience (#CraveFace).  Festival goers can stop by Kim & Scott's Crave Bar cart, located around the festival grounds to enjoy a 3.5 oz bar.  Cart locations can be found on thecravebar.com, Facebook and Twitter.  Once they have a well-earned "Crave Face," guests can use Instagram to snap a picture of their satisfied smiles with a smart phone, tweet #CraveFace and earn their place at thecravebar.com. 

Additionally, visitors to SxSW can purchase a Kim & Scott's Crave Bar through the BUZZtheBar iPhone or Android app and have a Kim & Scott's Crave Bar delivered to a nearby location in the Convention Center and at bars on Sixth Street.  BUZZtheBar, a New York based smart phone app, offers mobile order, pay and delivery. 

BUZZtheBar is the only way to try out a Kim & Scott's Crave Bar inside the Convention Center.  Pre-SxSW, post "I CRAVE bars" to Kim & Scott's Crave Bar Facebook and Twitter pages and #CraveBar and #BUZZtheBar for a free Crave Bar at SxSW.

Free Kim & Scott's Crave Bars will be given away at select times during SxSW.  Visit Kim & Scott's Crave Bar Facebook and Twitter pages for those opportunities. 

A portion of the proceeds from Kim & Scott's Crave Bar sales at SxSW will benefit KIPP Academy Austin, a charter school that prepares students in underserved communities for success.

ABOUT KIM & SCOTT'S

Husband and wife team Kim and Scott Holstein founded Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels in 1995.  After 17 years, the brand sold and the Holsteins moved into frozen novelties.  Kim & Scott's products and philanthropic efforts have been highly praised by Fortune Magazine as a company "Breaking Big." They have been deliciously touted by USA Today, Entrepreneur, CNBC's Power Lunch, CNBC's Donny Deutsch , Food Network's Dean Brothers and Roker on the Road.  

Talenti Unveils New Branding And Four New Flavors

Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto announces brand innovations 

at the 2013 Natural Products Expo West

MINNEAPOLIS, March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- At today's Natural Products Expo West Conference, Talenti^® Gelato & Sorbetto, the world's best-selling packaged gelato, announces a re-branding effort that modernizes the look and feel of the product, as well as the introduction of four new flavors to its growing line of all-natural gelatos and sorbettos. The new packaging and flavors will begin to roll-out to retailers nationwide in April 2013.

Talenti's new logo and typeface support the brand's simplicity and playfulness, while also capturing the inevitable smile that comes with each spoonful of Talenti.  The "smiling spoon" logo and updated tagline, "Happier spoons," will further remind consumers of Talenti's exceptional quality and all-natural, carefully sourced ingredients.

In addition, Talenti continues to innovate this year with four unique new gelato and sorbetto flavors:

Alphonso Mango - A rich, dense sorbetto made with real, perfectly ripe Alphonso mangos from India.

Argentine Caramel – A luxurious and rich gelato made with golden Argentinean-style dulce de leche.

Southern Butter Pecan – A new take on a classic, this gelato combines a thick, delicious, buttery background with butter roasted pecans, and a ribbon of Talenti's signature dulce de leche.

German Chocolate Cake – Inspired by the classic dessert, this flavor blends creamy milk chocolate gelato with premium pieces of coconut, candied pecans, and a velvety caramel swirl throughout.

"We are thrilled to add new, exciting flavors to our growing line of products," said Josh Hochschuler , Founder of Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto. "We put great care in creating our gelatos, selecting the best ingredients and adhering to time-honored gelato-making methods. With two takes on American classics and two slightly more exotic creations, this year's new flavors continue to exemplify our commitment to the best quality gelato and sorbetto." 

Consumers will find Talenti's new packaging and new flavors in retailers nationwide beginning April 2013 at a suggested retail price of $4.99-$5.99, or online at $7.99, plus shipping.

Talenti's complete line of gelatos and sorbettos includes 25 flavors:

Gelato:	Coffee Chocolate Chip	Southern Butter Pecan
Argentine Caramel	Double Dark Chocolate	Tahitian Vanilla Bean
Banana Chocolate Swirl	German Chocolate Cake	Toasted Almond
Belgian Milk Chocolate	Mediterranean Mint
Black Cherry Amarena	Old World Eggnog (Limited	Sorbetto:
Black Raspberry Chocolate	Edition)	Alphonso Mango
Caramel Cookie Crunch	Peppermint Bark (Limited Edition)	Blood Orange
Caribbean Coconut	Sea Salt Caramel	Lisbon Lemon
Chocolate Chip Stracciatella	Sicilian Pistachio	Roman Raspberry
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup	Simply Strawberry

About Talenti® Gelato & Sorbetto    Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto is the best-selling gelato and third best-selling premium ice cream brand in the United States. All Talenti flavors are 100% natural and crafted with the same uncompromising commitment to artisanal quality that has distinguished authentic Italian gelato for centuries. Talenti is made with only the finest natural and raw ingredients, carefully sourced locally and from around the world. Richer, creamier, denser and more delicious than ice cream, Talenti Gelato also contains 30% less fat than most brands. Talenti is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN and maintains production facilities in Dallas, TX and Marietta, GA. To learn more visit www.talentigelato.com or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/love.talenti and follow us on Twitter @TalentiGelato.

Ruggles' New Cartons Driven by Consumer Preference

Ice cream brand takes focus group research to heart

ORRVILLE, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Dairy Enterprises, Inc. announced today that Ruggles Premium Ice Cream can now be found in eye-catching new cartons that were designed to satisfy consumer preference. According to a consumer focus group, an easily identifiable flavor name topped the list of factors that make the purchase decision easier. The results showed that purchasers also want to see a description of what is in the carton.

Shape and size were important, too. Consumers said they liked a carton that would fit easily in freezer doors and could stack for convenient storage. They also asked for a lid that stayed tightly closed to keep the ice cream fresh. In the new design, Ruggles gives ice cream buyers what they want.

Arctic Mint is new for 2013

white mint ice cream with mini dark chocolate mint cups and a dark chocolate fudge swirl

"We chose a design that is different from anything found in the ice cream freezers," said Penny Baker , director of marketing for Ruggles. "Ice cream is a fun food, so our approach was to make the package design fun as well. Each package features a unique pattern and bright color scheme that tie in with the name of flavor printed in bold type on the front of the carton."

Flavor descriptions and a photo of the actual ice cream appear on every package. Consumers can scan a Quick Response (QR) code on the back panel of the carton to find entertaining and fictional stories about each flavor, and can upload their own Ruggles ice cream stories, photos, or videos about their favorite flavors to win prizes in the "What's your Ruggles Story ?" section of the website.

The new look carries through all Ruggles ice cream, frozen yogurt, and no-sugar-added ice cream products, which are available in 1.5-quart containers with a suggested retail price (SRP) of $5.59 to $5.99. New-carton transition for all flavors will be finished this spring.

About Smith Dairy Products Company and Dairy Enterprises Incorporated

Smith Dairy Products Company manufactures products marketed by Dairy Enterprises Inc.  Family-owned since 1909 and headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, Smith Dairy Products Company has sister production facilities in Indiana (Wayne Dairy Products Inc.) and Missouri (Pacific Valley Dairy Inc.). Smith Dairy Products Company manufactures a full line of quality dairy, beverage, ice cream, and foodservice products, from Ruggles^® Premium Ice Cream to SMITH'S Milk in the distinctive yellow jug. Dairy Enterprises Inc. and Smith Dairy Products Company assure their customers the freshest and highest-quality products. For more information, visit www.smithsbrand.com or www.rugglesicecream.com, or become a fan of Smith Dairy and Ruggles on Facebook. 

Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Introduces Three New Flavors to Their Award-Winning Product Line

The Creator of World's First Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars 

Adds Coconut, Mango and Vanilla Bean 

to Expand on Their Already Delicious and Nutritious Flavor Lineup

BOSTON, Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt announces the addition of Coconut, Mango and Vanilla Bean to their line of frozen Greek yogurt bars. The new products will double the company's current offerings, now with a total of six flavors in their portfolio. Beginning in February of 2013, all the new flavors will be available in major grocery retailers nationwide with a suggested retail price of $4.99-$5.49.

"Our decision to launch Coconut, Mango and Vanilla Bean was based on consumer conversations throughout our national sampling tour and surveys we conducted on Facebook," said Yasso Co-Founder Drew Harrington . "We're fortunate to have such wonderful fans and love including them in the creation of new flavors and product launches. Coconut, Mango and Vanilla Bean will add exciting flavor diversity to the current lineup of Raspberry, Strawberry and Blueberry." 

Coconut uses real shavings of coconut, creating a unique treat that has a punch of flavor. It's a great healthy option for a summery snack.

Mango is made with real mangoes, providing a whopping 60 percent of your daily vitamin C per bar. The clean and authentic mango flavor is also a great solution for an on-the-go breakfast.

Vanilla Bean takes the timeless flavor and combines it with the natural tartness of Greek yogurt, delivering a traditional taste with an untraditional calorie count and seven grams of protein.

The new additions are creamy and irresistible, which people expect from the Yasso brand; however, each delicious bar is only 80 calories, has 6-7 grams of protein and contains little to no fat. All Yasso novelty bars are offered in 3.5 fluid ounce bars, made with all-natural real Greek yogurt and are free of artificial sweeteners. Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars are available in major retailers nationwide.

For more information about Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt or to find a retailer near you, visit http://www.yasso.com.

About Yasso^®: Yasso is the first-ever line of frozen Greek yogurt bars to hit the market. In 2009, founders Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington set out on a mission to craft a wholesome and delicious everyday frozen treat. After two years of perfecting their recipe, Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars were born. Hitting store shelves in mid-2011, Yasso quickly became one of the fastest-growing brands in the frozen novelty category. Made with only natural ingredients, including real Greek yogurt, rBST-free milk and natural sweeteners, Yasso is a great low-calorie frozen treat filled with protein and containing little to no fat. Yasso currently offers bars in Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry, Coconut, Mango and Vanilla Bean, and products can be found at major grocery and club stores nationwide. To find your local retailers and to learn more about the Yasso brand, please visit http://www.yasso.com.