Disappearing Bee Colonies to Affect Ice Cream Industry?
Posted by Cate O’Malley on Sugar Savvy
If it wasn’t for a recent article in CNN, I’m not sure I ever would have thought to connect vanishing US bee colonies with having fewer ice cream flavors and higher prices, but believe it. The folks at Haagen-Dazs say it’s so.
For some reason, bee colonies are fast disappearing, and it’s got ice cream makers a tad worried. Why? Because, as Haagen-Dazs told CNN, “one-third of the U.S. food supply - including a variety of fruits, vegetables and even nuts - depends on pollination from bees. Haagen-Dazs, which is owned by Nestle, said bees are actually responsible for 40% of its 60 flavors - such as strawberry, toasted pecan and banana split.”
“These are among consumers’ favorite flavors,” said Katty Pien, brand director with Haagen-Dazs. She went on to say, “We use 100% all natural ingredients like strawberries, raspberries and almonds which we get from California. The bee problem could badly hurt supply from the Pacific Northwest.” If scientists don’t figure out why the colonies are disappearing, Pien warned that the ice cream giant might have to ”re-examine the flavors that we currently offers our customers.”
Haagen-Dazs certainly isn’t sitting back waiting for everything to go back to normal. They are donating $250,000 to both Pennsylvania State University and the University of California, Davis “to fund research into the bee colony collapse disorder (CCD).” They are even going one step further, and in an effort to raise consumer awareness, they are launching a new flavor this Spring called Vanilla Honey Bee.
As told to CNN, “This is the first time that Haagen-Dazs has adopted a cause like this,” said Pien. “We are taking this very, very seriously because it impacts not just our brand but the entire food industry.”
You can learn more about how Haagen-Dazs is commited to helping the cause right here.
