Novelties

Fruit is in: new novelties go beyond ice cream

From ice cream bars to fruit bars and sorbet bars, new novelties take on all sorts of shapes and flavors

Dairy Foods' editors have gathered up some of our favorite new novelties that have caught our eye this year so far. What are the latest hot trends? It's not just about the ice cream bar anymore — from fruit, to tea to veggies with fruit, novelties come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and flavors.

Fruit and veggie bars

Oakland, Calif.-based Nestle's Dreyer's Outshine fruit bars brand launched the first national line of frozen fruit bars that combines fruit and vegetable ingredients. The line, called "Fruit and Veggie bars," features five flavors: blueberry medley, tangerine carrot, apple and greens, peach mango medley and strawberry rhubarb.

The new line also includes a 12-count multi-pack featuring strawberry rhubarb, tangerine carrot and blueberry medley. The bars are available nationwide starting for the suggested retail price of $4.39 per box, which includes six 2.5-ounce bars. The multi-pack includes twelve 1.5-ounce bars per box, for suggested price of $4.29.

Ice cream bars

Last spring Lafayette, Ca.-based Boardwalk Frozen Treats partnered with Baskin-Robbins, Canton, Mass., to bring ice cream to the shelves of major retailers across the United States. These new ice cream bars were part of that launch.

The ice cream bars come in four flavors: mint (dark chocolate covered mint ice cream), Jamoca (dark chocolate covered coffee-flavored ice cream) and chocolate (milk chocolate covered vanilla ice cream) and salted caramel (milk chocolate covered vanilla ice cream with caramel ribbon.) The ice cream bars are sold in 3-packs for a suggested retail price of $3.99 to $4.49.

Some of the many retailers carrying Baskin-Robbins’ packaged ice cream and ice cream bars include A&P, Albertsons, Cub Foods, H-E-B, Jewel, King Kullen, Kings, Meijer, Shaw’s, Ralphs and Tops.

Starburst sorbet bars

Mars Chocolate, Hackettstown, N.J., introduced new Starburst brand strawberry sorbet bars. The new novelties are available in 2.6-ounce 4-Packs and 2.6-ounce singles for a suggested retail price of $3.99 and $1.49, respectively.

Multi-packs are available in the refrigerated ice cream case at Wal-Mart and select grocery stores nationwide. The singles are available in many convenience stores nationwide.

Jelly Belly Popsicles

Popsicle, a brand of Unilever, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., has introduced new Jelly Belly popsicles. The frozen treat now comes in three Jelly Belly flavors: Tutti-Fruitti, cherry and blueberry. The Popsicles feature a chewy center. Each pop contains 50 calories and 7 grams of sugar.

The frozen treats are available in grocery stores nationwide, and are available in 18-count boxes for a suggested retail price of $3.99.

Jelly Belly Candy Company is based in Fairfield, Calif.

Organic Tea Pops

Victoria, British Columba, Canada –based DeeBee’s Organics TeaPops, the first certified 100% organic, tea-based frozen novelty in the world, was brought to market in the United States this spring. TeaPops are made from freshly brewed, 100% organic and ethically sourced tea; sweetened with a combination of organic fruit, coconut flower blossom nectar or honey.

The tea pops are kosher, vegan, and free of gluten, dairy, nuts and soy. All ingredients are non-GMO, and ethically sourced. They are available nationwide at retailers including select Whole Foods and Wegmans.

DeeBee’s, which originates in Canada, was created by a husband and wife team of doctors (Dr. Dionne Laslo-Baker (a medical research scientist and Dr. Stephen Baker (an ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon).

Soft serve fruit pops

Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit Co., New York, (created by Chloe Epstein and her partner, tri-athlete Michael Sloan) has introduced soft serve fruit pops, a three ingredient, all-natural fruit pop. Chloe's Naturally 3 Pops come in three varieties: mango, strawberry and raspberry. Each pop is 2.5-ounces, contains 60 calories and about 13 to 15 grams of sugar per pop. The suggested retail price is $3.99 to $5.99 per 4-pack. The fruit pops are available in H-E-B stores throughout Texas, and some Mrs. Greens Natural Markets. More flavors and varieties can be purchased in Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit stores.