Love it or hate it, an iconic flavour by ice cream maker Tip Top is making its grand return to supermarket shelves next week — and just in time for summer.
Kiwis across the country were outraged after the two-litre tubs of Tip Top's Goody Goody Gum Drops and Cookies and Cream flavours were discontinued last October due to the rising manufacturing costs. The flavours remained in stores selling ice cream by the scoop.
"Tip Top's ice cream is always made with the best quality ingredients, including fresh milk and cream, and unfortunately, due to significant cost pressures relating to these two items, we could not continue these two flavours in the 2L format without sacrificing the quality of our ice cream," Tip Top director Ben Schurr said at the time.
Now, the divisive Goody Goody Gum Drops flavour, once dubbed "lurid" by The Guardian, is coming back — but not as we know it.
It'll be back just in time for summer – but not as we know it. (Source: Seven Sharp)
The bubblegum-flavoured treat laced with gum drop pieces will join the 1.2L Tip Top Crave product range.
Seven Sharp's Hilary Barry and Jeremy Wells went along to the factory to see the very first tub being made.
But reaction to the new flavour has been mixed.
One ice cream lover who tried the new Goody Goody Gum Drop flavour said they were disappointed in the "small size" of the gum drops and thought they were a little hard. However, they enjoyed the overall flavour.
Schurr said changes were made to the gum drop recipe to help "solve some major consumer complaints" around "not having enough gum drops in every scoop, and also the texture of the gum drop", with some calling the lolly pieces "a little bit too chewy".
"We moved to a slightly smaller gum drop that meant that we could put more in a tub, which means that every single scoop you get, you move from, say, five to six previously, you've moved to about nine to 10," he said.
"It reduces the stress at the family table when you're each taking your scoop, and we also, through that, we found a gum drop that's a bit softer and the size helps in terms of not attaching to people's teeth so much or requiring so much jaw strength."
Wells, a Goody Goody Gum Drop superfan, was left pleasantly surprised after having a taste, even reaching for another scoop.
"Still the same flavour, bit smaller but there's more gum drops," he said.
"So that's quite good, actually, because with every scoop you get more gum drops, which is kind of what you want."
Wells said it was a "joy and an honour" to tip in the gum drop goodness, knowing it would go on to create happiness for so many ice cream lovers.
Tip Top's Cookies and Cream ice cream will also be returning as part of the Tip Top Crave range from October 24.
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