Debranding continues in 2023

I should probably call it rebranding, but I like debranding better. We've all seen products go from branded to co-branded and then rebranded back to the original branding for a variety of marketing and business reasons. My point is, does this nonsense bother anyone else? I know companies love the free advertising generated by people (like me) who like taking pictures of things labeled "NEW", but doesn't it feel at least a little dishonest in some cases?

Up top is the Good Humor Reese's bars from 2011 and below it is the 2023 marketing photo for the "new" Reese's cup. Technically there is one change. While both are 3.3 Fluid ounces, the 2011 version had 280 calories per serving while the 2023 version will have 230 calories.

On the left is the Good Humor Reese's bar circa 2018 and on the right is the marketing photo for the "NEW!" 2023 Reese's bar. It's literally the same ho-hum product. Booooooooo.

Ok, last one. 2022 Klondike Cones! vs 2023 Reeses Cones. Exact same thing. Uggg.... and I say ugg because Klondike Cones are terrible. Ok, I'll stop with the pictures now. You know the same thing will apply to the Reese's tubs of light ice creams and frozen dairy dessert.

Look, I won't argue that the new branding won't catch peoples' attention, it's just that I am a very literal person and these marketing antics have always bugged me. Also, long time readers know that on more than one occasion I have picked on a product that is branded for the sake of being branded. If you give me a Reese's treat, it better remind me of Reese's!

Side Note: The press release also mentions Heath "tubs and pints" headed our way.

History Note: Sometimes a co-brand might switch hands. Last year, Dreyer's/Edy's teamed up with Mondelez to launch those Oreo and Chips Ahoy branded treats. This is why Breyer's flavors no longer say Oreo and Chips Ahoy!

Business Note: According to Bloomberg, Unilever is considering selling Klondike and Breyers. I wonder if Good Humor would be included in this as well.

Final Note: all marketing images courtesy of Unilever.

Klondike Cones! Unicorn Dreamin' & Vanilla Chillin'

[New for 2021] Time to regret a purchase! Wait, am I not supposed to ruin the surprise?

Klondike Cones! Unicorn Dream' & Vanilla Chillin'

Klondike Vanilla Shake

[New for 2021] Klondike is branching out from their trandtional offerings in two new ways this year. Thereare the new cones that I will cover in a week or so, and then there are two new flavors of shake pouches (the strawberry flavor should be coming out later in the year). I'm sure a lot of people will try chocolate first, so let's be different and try....

Klondike chill out & Vanilla Shakes

vanilla frozen dairy dessert shakes

Klondike Donuts

[New for 2020] The funnest item in my package of free unilever samples definitely has to be this next treat. Sure, plenty of people joke that someone stole the center or the Klondike Bar without lowering the price, but come on, if you see these, the donut name is going to grab your attention.

Klondike Donuts

Frosted Strawberry - Boston Cream - Triple Chocolate

Klondike Minis

[New for 2018] What does Klondike have in store for 2018? There are no new regular bars and kandy bars are gone. So far the only thing new are two versions of Klondike Minis. Will there be much to talk about here? and how do these vary from the old 100 cal version? I don't know...

Klondike Minis

artificially flavored vanilla light ice cream in a milk chocolate flavored coating

Klondike Brownie Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Bar

[New for 2017] In general, we seem to get one new Klondike flavor in their main bar line up every year. As a disclaimer, my respect for Klondike has waned over the years as their products become cheaper and cheaper (and therefore somewhat of a shadow of their former glory).

Klondike Brownie Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Bar

reduced fat chocolate ice cream  with a brownie fudge swirl
in a milk chocolate flavored coating

Klondike S'Mores Ice Cream Bars

[New for 2016] It's always funny what you find while trying to track down the latest B&J's flavors. I mean, I had basically given up when I found these at the very end of the freezer aisle.

Klondike S'Mores Ice Cream Bars

vanilla and artificially flavored marshmallow light ice cream
with a graham cracker swirl in milk chocolate flavored coating

Klondike Cookie Dough Swirl Bar

[New for early 2015] While we saw new three new kandy bars in 2014 (and one this year), that was it from Klondike last year. Nick had made the prediction that we were way past due for a new klondike bar, and sure enough, what do we have here but...

Klondike Cookie Dough Swirl Bar

klondike cookie dough flavored reduced fat ice cream
with a cookie dough swirl in a milk chocolate flavored coating

Klondike Mint Fudge Cookie Kandy Bars

[2015-2017] Klondike has thrown 2 new products at us. There is one new ice cream bar and one new kandy bar. Joining last year's C&C, Fudge Crunch, and Caramel & Peanuts is....

Klondike Mint Fudge Cookie Kandy Bars

mint light ice cream topped with chocolate fudge
in a dark chocolate flavored coating with dark chocolate crunch pieces

Oreo Klondike Bar

The next treat has been on my radar for a very long time for the simple fact that I'm not sure I've ever tried it. So I waited until a good sale hit (2 for $6) and grabbed a pack.

Oreo Cookies & Cream Klondike Bar

Artificially flavored vanilla light ice cream with OREO cookie pieces
coated in milk chocolate flavored coating and OREO cookie pieces

Klondike Fudge Krunch Kandy Bar

[2014-2017] Ok, I had no intention of trying this last Klondike Kandy Bar so soon, but they were running the 2 for $6 sale again and I couldn't resist. From the beginning, I've suspected that this one would be better then Cookies & Cream and Caramel & Peanuts.

Klondike Fudge Krunch Kandy Bar

Chocolate light ice cream topped with chocolate fudge 

in a milk chocolate flavored coating with rice crispy pieces

Klondike Caramel & Peanuts Kandy Bar

[2014-2017] Ok, the Cookies & Cream kandy bar was a long shot for a win, I get that, so let's try something a little easier to pull off, something that's been attempted before.

Klondike Caramel & Peanuts Kandy Bar

Vanilla light ice cream topped with caramel,

in a milk chocolate flavored coating with peanuts

Klondike Cookies & Cream Kandy Bars

[2014-2017] Ready for the next big thing from Klondike? Now technically we saw skinny cow have some frozen candy bar fun last year, but now it's time for Unilever to respond with their own version, and since it's Klondike, you know it's going to be a trifecta of crazy.

Klondike Kandy Bars (click for larger image)

I wouldn't say no to a.... Klondike Classic Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich

Let's be honest here. If you offer me an ice cream sandwich, I'm not going to say no. If you offer me a box of ice cream sandwiches, I may or may not drool on myself. See, I work for a small company, and once a week this very nice coworker goes out at lunchtime and does our shopping for us. She gets the usual office stuff: coffee, tea, milk, hot chocolate, plus any rogue requests that pop up, like say a giant bag of jolly ranchers. Now before she leaves, she always asks one more time if anyone needs anything, and for whatever reason, I threw out "ice cream sandwiches!". Well as a fellow fan of ice cream, she decided to bring us back a big box of....

Klondike Classic Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

(wait, am I the only one who had one yesterday?)

KLONDIKE THE CANDY!

[New for 2013] Whether you've seen them on store shelves or maybe just seen a review online, you probably know by now that flix candy has created New KLONDIKE THE CANDY! Sorry, didn't mean to yell, just trying to relay the excitement that the packaging has for the new products.

We've got Caramel and Mint Chocolate Chip versions, and I'll admit it, it's hard to resist the thought of Klondike flavored candy. Caramel is "caramel center covered in a milk chocolate flavored coating" while the mint one is "mint chocolate chip center covered in dark chocolate flavored coating". Each 1.4 oz pack contains 4 candies but unfortunately I thought to take this size comparison picture after I had already sampled both.

Klondike Mint Chocolate Chip Bar

[New for 2011, tweaked at somepoint] With Klondike not having launched any new products this year to review (but having fun tormenting Alfonso Ribeiro, Tiffany, and Rowdy Roddy Piper), it looks like we're going to have to review some stuff we've overlooked instead.

Klondike Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Bars

mint flavored light ice cream with semi-sweet chocolate chips
and a dark chocolate flavored coating

Klondike Bar - No Sugar Added Vanilla

[By Nick] I never really realized how many different sugar free/no sugar added products there are on the market nowadays. Ever since my positive experiences with Clemmy’s, I’ve been more open to seek out these options in the freezer isle. I noticed that the folks over at Klondike make a couple of their iconic bars in no sugar added versions. So with my new found curiosity and some requests for more no sugar added products, I picked up a package of their vanilla no sugar added bars.

I do remember seeing these come in a box a while ago but I do like the change to the traditional Klondike packaging. I never liked separate packaging for different subsets of products. For those who can no longer have the original varieties, I can imagine them feeling excluded with the old packaging. With the switch, if you didn’t read the name you would think it was just a normal old Klondike bar.

Heath Klondike Bar Review

[By Nick] I say it’s time to take a look at one of my favorite Klondike bars.

The funny thing is, I’ve been eating Heath Klondike Bars for years but up until a couple of months ago I never actually had a Heath Candy Bar. Sure, I’ve had toffee candy bars mixed into ice cream and all that but I don't think I've ever had the actual candy bar. I was a little taken aback that the candy is actually quite salty. I guess the saltiness is tempered a bit when mixed with ice cream. So with my new found knowledge of what a Heath bar actually tastes like, I think I can now do a proper review of Klondike’s representation of it.

Klondike Peanut Butter Choco Taco Review

[for 2012 only] How can a treat be EPIC and awful at the same time? Well, it's not that hard for a choco taco.... Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. We've got an epic flavor combo stuffed inside the chewiest choco taco shell ever. Granted, it's my fault, I took a risk buying the last box, but that doesn't mean I wasn't still hoping for the best.

So here is the Peanut Butter Choco Taco in all it's 4 pack glory. Now when I tried the delightful chocolate choco taco all the way back in February of 2012, I had no idea I would wait so long to try his peanut butter brother. I mean, it seems like a great idea, so why is it so hard to find? Of the 3 dozen grocery stores I've visited in the last year, only 2 or 3 carry these. It's just that rare and I don't understand why.

Klondike 100 Calorie Ice Cream Sandwich Review

I don't know what's scary: The fact these have been in my freezer for most of the year, or the fact they haven't completely shriveled up into nothingness.

Klondike 100 Calorie Vanilla Ice Cream sandwiches

Formerly Slim-a-Bear  ***   Made with low fat vanillin ice cream