Trends

A good rule of thumb in the food industry: if you want to get an idea of the next big thing in ice cream, just look to Ben & Jerry’s. The perennially “cool” brand for trendy consumers, Ben & Jerry’s has never been afraid of experimenting and trying new concepts.

One of the brand’s most interesting concepts in years was launched nationwide just last April. Ben & Jerry’s Snackable Cookie Dough is a stand-alone line of dough chunks – the same kind that consumers have enjoyed in their pints since childhood. Currently available in three flavors (Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Vegan Chocolate Chip), they feed into the current snackable cookie dough trend that has taken the food industry by storm.

One possible reason for the popularity of edible cookie dough is that there is an extra layer of indulgence in a treat that traditionally is considered to be bad for you. Even though Ben & Jerry’s dough is 100% safe to eat (they use heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs), there is still a perception that there is some risk that comes with the snack. It’s similar to why dieters will crave a 3,000-calorie dessert that they see in a restaurant; you know that you probably shouldn’t eat it, but this just makes you want it even more.

Another exciting element of this product launch is that it offers the potential for highly customized pints. Consumers have always been able to make their own sundaes at home, but the availability of more exclusive ingredients like Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough gives shoppers even more choices. If they want cookie dough ice cream with extra-extra-extra cookie dough, or strawberry-and-cookie dough, or Chunky Monkey Cookie Dough, they’re now free to create their perfect snack. Who knows; maybe the fudge fish from their famous Phish Food are going to hit the market next.

Ben & Jerry’s has always been ahead of the curve, and we’ll be keeping an eye on what other trends this move will inspire.

We have called out this trend on Instagram, where we are running a new series called #TrendTuesday. Follow Works Design Group’s account for weekly insights for a variety of categories from across the grocery store.