Disney Ice Cream, Novelties and Yogurt?

[Panthius]

Disney Consumer Products, Blue Bunny(R) Launch Disney-Branded Ice Cream, Novelties and Yogurt


Tuesday May 20, 7:00 AM EDT

BURBANK, Calif., May 20, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Disney Consumer Products (DIS) along with Wells' Dairy, Inc., makers of Blue Bunny ice cream, today announced the launch of a variety of delicious new ice creams, frozen novelties and yogurt products under the Disney brand.

Gary Wells, CEO of Wells' Dairy, Inc., and Andy Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products Worldwide, said the two companies are developing and marketing kid-focused, cross-category lines of Disney-branded ice cream, frozen novelties and dairy products under a long- term agreement. All products feature an array of Disney's beloved characters, including Mickey Mouse, Disney Princesses, Winnie the Pooh and Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear, and are available in grocery stores that carry Blue Bunny products.



Said Mooney: "The Disney and Blue Bunny brands have consistently delivered quality products and value to generations of consumers. This launch represents an exciting and unique way to bring Disney magic to children."

Said Wells: "Blue Bunny and Disney identified a market need for ice cream and novelties inspired by the Disney brand that provide children and families with products that are tasty, innovative and fun."

Wells added that the product flavor combinations and packaging are truly unique:

"Kids love ice cream, but to capture the magic of Disney, we've added extras that delight with each bite. Whether a product changes the color of a child's mouth, like S'wiches mini-ice cream sandwiches, or pops in the mouth like Swirl'nMagic Yogurt, they each offer a new taste and sensory experience. Those elements, combined with great package graphics, give the items a strong presence at grocery stores. They will be a popular and trusted purchase mom and dad can make to treat their kids."

Targeted marketing efforts supporting the products will include advertising campaigns, consumer promotions, themed packaging, in-store displays and point-of-sale messages. National distribution is targeted for the products in the future, and new items will be introduced to refresh the line.


The first flavorful spectrum of products introduced include:


Disney Triples Ice Cream

Triples are a true innovation in packaged ice cream for kids. Each 48-ounce round tub is divided into three differently colored sections. The variety of flavors includes Disney character-shaped candy pieces or cookies. Specific Triples products to look for include:


-- Vanilla featuring Mickey, Donald and Goofy
-- Cookies & Cream uniting Pooh, Piglet and Tigger
-- Chocolate ice cream brings The Lion King's Timon, Pumbaa and Simba
-- Rainbow Sherbet featuring Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear and cracklin'
with candy galactic stars
-- Rainbow Cotton Candy, Bubble Gum and Strawberry ice cream featuring
Ariel, Belle, Cinderella and dazzling with royal hearts


Disney Mini-Triples Ice Cream Cups

Three flavors of Triples Ice Cream also come in six-packs of 3 oz. cups for a convenient single serving. The kid-sized treats feature the same fun elements as the larger versions of Mickey, Pooh and The Lion King Triples.

Disney Crazy Cones

Featuring Tigger, these kid-sized ice cream cones include vanilla ice cream and chocolate Tigger cookies wrapped in an orange cone and topped with chocolate fudge and orange sprinkles.

Disney S'wiches

Featuring Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear, these mini ice cream sandwiches transform mouths to green and blue with colored vanilla ice cream nestled between chocolate wafers. The wafers are emblazoned with Buzz, Toy Story aliens and Zurg images.

Disney Yo-Pals Yogurt

Yo-Pals, featuring Winnie the Pooh and Friends, are 4 oz. yogurt cups that nourish the bodies of preschoolers with whole milk with added calcium. An illustrated short story under each lid encourages reading and discovery. Each four-pack pairs cherry and vanilla, or strawberry and banana.

Disney Swirl'nMagic Yogurt

Just like Mickey in Fantasia, Swirl'nMagic yogurt inspires school-aged kids to create their own brand of Disney magic. Made with poppin' flavor crystals(TM), when stirred with yogurt, it produces a magically colorful rainbow swirl. The yogurt also includes bite-sized moon and star popping flavor crystals. Swirl'nMagic yogurt is available in four-packs combining either cherry and strawberry yogurt, or watermelon and fruit punch flavors.

Disney Single Serve Frozen Novelties

Disney and Disney/Pixar characters inspired frozen novelties, including Buzz Bomb Pops, Goofy Scoop cones, Mike Cherry Bars and Mickey Mouse Fudge Bars. These frozen treats are sold primarily from ice cream trucks.

Consumers can check with their local retailer for availability of Disney ice cream, frozen novelties and dairy yogurt from Blue Bunny. Or, they can find specific retailers by visiting the Blue Bunny Store Locator at www.bluebunny.com

About Blue Bunny

Blue Bunny, founded in 1913, is a brand of Wells' Dairy, Inc. and the largest family-owned and managed dairy processor in the United States. Today, more than 500 Blue Bunny-branded products, including ice cream and frozen novelties, can be found across the United States, and in Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Blue Bunny is made in Le Mars, Iowa: The Ice Cream Capital of the World. More ice cream is made in Le Mars than any other place on the planet. Visitors to Le Mars are always welcome at The Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor Center. While there, they can learn the history of ice cream, the history of Wells' Dairy and Blue Bunny, experience fascinating interactive exhibits and get a glimpse at how America's favorite treat is made. Afterwards, they can stroll next door to an authentic, old-fashioned, honest- to-goodness soda fountain for their favorite ice cream creation.

For further information, please contact: Dave Smetter, Wells' Dairy, Inc., +1-712-546-4000, ext. 2407; or Gary Foster, or Maria Gladowski, of Disney Consumer Products, +1-818-567-5730.

SOURCE Disney Consumer Products

CONTACT: Dave Smetter, Wells' Dairy, Inc., +1-712-546-4000, ext. 2407;
or Gary Foster, or Maria Gladowski, of Disney Consumer Products,
+1-818-567-5730

URL: http://www.bluebunny.com
http://www.prnewswire.com

Is thisw a good thing or just the further dilution of the Disney name? I personally think Disney name has lost much luster over the years because of all these deals they have signed to slap their name on everything and anything as long as the almighty $$$ figures are right.

Panthius

 

[laceemouse]

I can understand your concern, but I also know Blue Bunny makes a great product and that my kids are gonna beg for this stuff when it comes out! You do see the Disney logo on just about everything these days, but does that really take away from the Disney magic? I don't really know the answer to this. Maybe it will make kids beg even more for a Disney vacation. I for one bought a bucket of Cheetos the other day just because it had Nemo on it! My 4 kids were thrilled!!!

 

[KNWVIKING]

I don't know the Blue Bunny brand but a previous poster states they are a quality company. Disney associating itself with another quality brand is not a bad thing. If Disney were slapping their logo on every cheesy piece of crap (and maybe they are, I don't shop for young children) I'd be concerned about dituting the brand, but I don't think that's the case here.

I'm curious though how Nestle is going to view this seeing's how they provide the ice cream in the parks and sponsor a few attractions.

 

[SuprGro78]

Has anyone tasted it?

 

[Cindy B]

The Swirl n Magic Yogurt sounds vey similiar to another brand Dannon (?) Sprinklin's. They come four to a pack with a foil pouch in the the lid.. Open the foil pouch and you sprinkle the stuff inside.

My kids like those.

As for the rest of the product line my kids would probably eat it all. However DD has an insensitivity to chocolate... so she can't each much of it.

 

[d-r]

Disney and Disney/Pixar characters inspired frozen novelties, including Buzz Bomb Pops, Goofy Scoop cones, Mike Cherry Bars and Mickey Mouse Fudge Bars. These frozen treats are sold primarily from ice cream trucks.

Gosh, I hope this doesn't impact the Mickey premium bars in the parks from nestles...boy oh boy.

 

[SoonerKate]

I bought the Tigger Crazy Cones and the cookies and cream ice cream today. (What? It's summer!) The cones are good. Too good, in fact. I may have to buy a lock for the freezer and give my boyfriend the key.

 

[*123JOANNA123*]

Wow- Nestle have been marketing Disney based icecream and food products over here in Ireland for ages.

We have Monsters Inc (eyeballs on a stick) icecream, yogurts and jelly candies. Lilo and stitch yogurts, Toy Story popsicles, Winnie the Pooh breakfast cereal and assorted Disney easter eggs and Christmas selection boxes to name a few (and I think they're all Nestle).

I wonder why they didn't just keep the licensing agreement with them stateside especially if they supply the theme parks?

That reminds me, did you guys have the big Proctor and Gamble promotions when MI, Lilo and Stitch and Treasure Planet were released? They had pictures of the main characters on washing detergent and washing up liquid and were giving away free toys when you collected the tokens.

 

[bearapples71]

i just heard about these...i haven't seen them in my area yet though i'll have to keep looking!

 

[dandelion]

I'm in the Saratoga Springs NY area and I saw them last night at a Super Walmart. Resisted buying, however.