Friday, March 10, was National Ranch Day, celebrating the tangy, savory joys of ranch dressing. It was marked by an announcement about one of the biggest names associated with the ranch, Hidden Valley. Brooklyn ice cream maker Van Leeuwen announced that it has partnered with the company to create Hidden Valley Ranch ice cream.
In Van Leeuwen’s press release, Ben Van Leeuwen, co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, said, “We are very excited to debut this new range of flavors and unveil possibly our most surprising ice cream yet: Hidden Valley Ranch.”
“We’ve done some creative collaborations,” Van Leeuwen continued, “and can’t wait for Walmart shoppers to try this new and exciting flavor along with our other spring specials.”
In the same release, Rachel Garrison, associate director of Hidden Valley Ranch, said, “We know that Hidden Valley Ranch goes with everything — pizza, carrots, french fries — but ice cream is a first for us.”
The combination of ranch flavoring and ice cream is a first for many, so the good news is that Walmarts across the country will carry Hidden Valley ice cream, as well as perhaps other Van Leeuwen-manufactured options with more traditional flavor profiles. ,
Sweet Maple CornbreadBlood Orange Chocolate Chip Carrot CakeStrawberry ShortcakeHoney Graham CrackersLimoncello Cake
While some may have found the novel combo funny and interesting, social media reactions indicated that others were in a state of cognitive dissonance.
They promised us jetpacks and Cloud City, and instead we got ranch-flavored ice cream. https://t.co/0DSllFZYGu
— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) March 10, 2023
Every day we wander further and further away from the light of God. https://t.co/c6QAggyTbW
— Brian P. Hickey (@BrianPHickey) March 10, 2023
Don’t pass, don’t collect $200, go straight to The Hague https://t.co/Irdzv4rP4V
— Peter Twinklage (@PeterTwinklage) March 10, 2023
For the brave consumer willing to suspend judgment and see what all the fuss is about, Hidden Valley Ranch ice cream and Van Leeuwen’s six other spring flavors will be available starting March 20 at 3,500 Walmarts for $5 a unit. Hidden Valley, specifically, can only be sold between March 20 and May 28.