Kale Fans Shouldn't Hold Their Breath For A Ben & Jerry's Flavor
Coming up with new ice cream flavors is every child's (and adult's) dream job. For a lucky few, that dream is their reality, and the tiny team that is in charge of creating new Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors is made up of only nine people. The job entails eating tons of ice cream (where do we apply?), doing market research, analyzing texture, and more, as Ben & Jerry's Flavor Gurus have an important responsibility in their hands: creating their customers' new favorite ice cream.
This may sound like an easy job — after all, there are a ton of beloved ice cream flavors out there — but Ben & Jerry's has already nailed many of the classic ones. Strawberry cheesecake, chocolate fudge brownie, and chocolate chip cookie dough were some of their top flavors in 2021, and the brand has already branched out into non-dairy, frozen yogurt, and Topped flavors that feature a chocolate ganache (via Ben & Jerry's).
Since they have all the basics covered and then some, it's safe to say that the Flavor Gurus are now forced to think outside the box. They're not the only ones — in 2021, New York company Van Leeuwen debuted their neon orange macaroni and cheese flavored ice cream in collaboration with Kraft, which according to Eater, was actually...good? While the Ben & Jerry's Flavor Gurus are no strangers to flexing their creative muscles either, there is one flavor you can bet you won't see anytime soon.
Kale ice cream was shut down
Ben & Jerry's Flavor Gurus say they get their inspiration from all over the place. As Guru Eric Fredette explained, "Sometimes it's a color, a cool name, or most likely, a cool ingredient or combo on a menu" (via Ben & Jerry's). This can lead to some weird combinations –- over the years, they've retired a sweet potato pie flavor made of ginger ice cream, as well as raisin and pear-flavored pints. While they're willing to give unique flavors a go, there comes a time when the Gurus put their foot down.
Ranch dip ice cream ranks among the worst ideas the Gurus say they've ever received, but when someone wanted to collaborate on a kale chip flavor, it was an immediate no for Kirsten Schimoler (via Ben & Jerry's). While we agree that kale ice cream doesn't sound very appetizing, there is a market for health-based flavors, and they're not all terrible. According to Taste of Home, extra virgin olive oil, sweet avocado cayenne, and goat cheese with red cherries are all delicious ice cream flavors that were inspired by healthy ingredients.
If you're dead set on slurping up a cup of kale ice cream (more power to you), there are a variety of recipes out there to try at home. Kale fans may even be onto something — in 2016, "Vogue" called kale ice cream "summer's tastiest, healthiest treat."