Why Ben And Jerry Debuts New Ice Cream Flavors In The Winter

Ice cream launch season has arrived.

Ben & Jerry's just released three new flavors with cookie cores to add to their "core" collection, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

The new flavors are Boom Chocolatta! Cookie Core, Peanut Buttah Cookie Core, and Spectacular Speculoos Cookie Core. Each flavor has a cookie-like center.

This is the time of year Ben & Jerry's usually releases new products. Last February, the ice cream company introduced new core flavors, which solved the problem of having to dig throughout the pint for delicious toppings.

Ben & Jerry's senior brand manager, John Henry Siedlecki, told Businessweek that most new flavors are launched between January and April. The company generally releases most of their new flavors in February, but they are getting an early start this year.

But if ice cream sales generally plummet in the winter, why would brands rush to release new flavors?

Euromonitor International analyst Matthew Hudak told Businessweek that introducing new flavors entices consumers to purchase ice cream when they would otherwise opt for warmer treats.

"It does sound counterintuitive because you assume, come winter, no one really wants ice cream [...] But it's a time for flavor competition simply because it's one of the few things that can drive sales at the time," he said.