'Shock flavors': Why one company makes mac & cheese and pizza ice cream

Occasionally, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream releases what it calls a new "shock flavor" of ice cream, like Hidden Valley Ranch, pizza, sour cream or Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream usually draws customers with gourmet takes on classics like vanilla and pistachio. But occasionally, the parlor chain and manufacturer headquartered in New York slips in what it calls a "shock flavor," like Hidden Valley Ranch or pizza.

Kraft Heinz approached New York-based artisanal ice cream maker Van Leeuwen a few years ago about macaroni and cheese-flavored ice cream. Ben Van Leeuwen, the company’s co-founder and CEO, was doubtful at first, but found that Kraft’s powder met Van Leeuwen’s standards – it contains no palm oil or artificial ingredients – and blended well with its ice cream. Van Leeuwen's Kraft Macaroni and Cheese ice cream came out to rave reviews in 2021 and was re-released for a short time last fall.

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"We will only do a shock flavor if we can make it good and distinct. We will not do a shock flavor where it’s just shock in name but taste like vanilla," Van Leeuwen said.

Mark Lang, food marketing expert and Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Tampa believes that humans are innately drawn to new flavors. "We are variety seeking animals. We constantly are seeking something new and different. It's in our wiring," stated Lang.