NEW YORK — NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” are teaming with iconic ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s to introduce the new flavor entitled “Late Night Snack.” The unique new flavor features a rich vanilla bean ice cream with a salty caramel swirl and crunchy fudge covered potato chip clusters – the perfect mix of salt and sweet for a late night snack. The concoction was inspired by a “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” skit in which Fallon and house band The Roots performed an original song, “Ladysmith Snack Mambazo,” about Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Late Night Snack begins arriving in supermarkets and Ben & Jerry’s locations around the country this week.
The research and development team at Ben & Jerry’s had long considered a flavor with potato chips in some fashion. After initial talks with Fallon, who suggested fudge covered potato chips as a chunk in his flavor, the Flavor Gurus at Ben & Jerry’s knew they had to make the combination work.
“When we learned that Jimmy Fallon was a fan of Ben & Jerry’s, and he was willing to support the Fair Trade effort, we jumped at the chance to develop a new flavor inspired by his skit,” said Ben & Jerry’s Co-founder Jerry Greenfield. “Our team came up with a truly unique flavor that is one-of-a-kind, just like Fallon!”
“Having our own flavor of Ben and Jerry’s gives everyone here at ‘Late Night’ an excuse to do what we were doing anyway, staying up late and eating pint after pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Only now we can call it ‘research,’” said Fallon. “And we came up with the perfect combo of salty and sweet. I can't wait for people to try it!”
“It’s been really fun working with Ben & Jerry’s on Jimmy’s concept for Late Night Snack,” said Kim Niemi, Senior Vice President, NBC Universal Television Consumer Products. “With this partnership, ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’ has a great opportunity to create something delicious and do something good – by joining in the efforts to encourage Fair Trade food practices.”
In February 2010 Ben & Jerry’s pledged to convert its product line to Fair Trade certified by 2013. Fair Trade supports fair wages, a safe work environment, sustainability for the land, animal husbandry and community development for farming communities. Accordingly, Late Night Snack is made with Fair Trade vanilla in the vanilla ice cream and Fair Trade cocoa in the potato chip cluster fudge coating. NBC and Fallon have pledged their share of the proceeds to Fair Trade Universities to encourage the use of Fair Trade products on campuses around the country.
For more information on Ben & Jerry’s or to find your local Scoop Shop, visit www.benjerry.com.
About “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
In March 2009, “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” made its broadcast debut with Fallon as the third host of the NBC comedy-talk franchise. The show serves as a platform for comedy, music and A-list talent out of NBC’s Rockefeller Center Studio 6B. The show continually garners attention for viral videos, audience games, and prominent guests. Fallon’s choice of house-band, The Roots, has been universally praised.
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" is produced by Universal Media Studios and Broadway Video. Lorne Michaels is the executive producer. Michael Shoemaker produces. Gavin Purcell co-produces.
For more Late Night, please visit http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/.
About Ben & Jerry’s
Ben & Jerry’s produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream and ice cream novelties, using high-quality ingredients including milk and cream from family farmers who do not treat their cows with the synthetic hormone rBGH. The company states its position on rBGH* on its labels. Ben and Jerry’s products are distributed nationwide and in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry’s, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Contributions made via the employee-led Ben & Jerry’s Foundation in 2010 totaled over $1.8 million. Additionally, the company makes significant product donations to community groups and nonprofits both in Vermont and across the nation. The purpose of Ben & Jerry’s philanthropy is to support the founding values of the company: economic and social justice, environmental restoration and peace through understanding, and to support our Vermont communities. For the full scoop on all Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop locations and fabulous flavors, visit www.benjerry.com.
* The FDA has said no significant difference has been shown and no test can now distinguish between milk from rBGH treated cows and untreated cows. Not all the suppliers of our other ingredients can promise that the milk they use comes from untreated cows.
Source: Ben & Jerry's
