Ben & Jerry’s Expands into Handhelds with New Ice Cream Bars for 2026

In a major expansion of its portfolio, Unilever-owned Ben & Jerry’s is moving beyond its signature pints to enter the handheld novelty space. The brand has announced the debut of its new Ice Cream Bars, a strategic pivot designed to capture a larger share of the growing market for premium convenience desserts.

Scheduled to roll out to US retailers beginning in January 2026, the launch positions the brand to compete directly in the rising segment of indulgent novelties—a category currently buoyed by consumer demand for portion-controlled treats and portable snacking options.

Product Architecture and Flavours

The new range aims to translate the brand’s "chunk and swirl" equity into an on-the-go format. Each bar features Ben & Jerry’s ice cream packed with signature inclusions, dipped in a chocolatey coating embedded with cookie pieces.

The line will debut with five variants, balancing established favourites with new formulations:

Classic Adaptations: Cookie Dough, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and Strawberry Cheesecake.
New Varieties: PB Pretzel and Caramel Blondie.

The company describes the bars as being “lovingly crafted” to replicate the sensory experience of their pints in a format optimised for impulse purchases and snacking occasions.

Commercial Details and Pricing

The initial retail launch in early 2026 will focus on frozen novelty sets nationwide.

Multipacks: The bars will be sold in four-pack boxes (2.5 oz per bar), with a suggested retail price (SRP) ranging from $5.99 to $7.49.
Single-Serve Strategy: To further penetrate the convenience channel, a single-serve format of the Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bar is scheduled for release in spring 2026, carrying an SRP of $3.99.