The producer of the White Rabbit candy said it is delighted to see the flavor of its product turned into a popular ice cream by a company in the United States.
Guanshengyuan Group, a famous time-honored brand in the food industry that is headquartered in Shanghai, also said that it is inspired by the success of the White Rabbit candy-flavored ice cream, which was created by Los Angeles-based food company Wanderlust Creamery with media company Foodbeast.
Shen Qinfeng, marketing manager of Guanshengyuan Group, clarified that the ice cream was done without the authorization of the group, which has no collaborations with U.S. food suppliers. He pointed out that the popularity of the ice cream goes to prove the brand’s recognition in international markets.
The classic Shanghai milk candy branded White Rabbit was created by Shanghai Guanshengyuan Group in 1959.
“This year marks the 60th anniversary of the White Rabbit candy. We are inspired by the creation of the White Rabbit ice cream in the U.S.. We will develop further innovations through new confectionery research and cross-brand cooperation to better serve consumers,” he said.
Wanderlust Creamery created the White Rabbit flavor as a Chinese New Year special for Asian Americans in the U.S. The ice cream is said to contain about one-and-a-half candies per scoop. Every cone is also wrapped using paper bearing the White Rabbit design.
According to Adrienne Borlongan, the co-founder of Wanderlust Creamery, the company planned to sell the product for only nine days. Initial sales were mediocre until the ice cream went viral following coverage by some bloggers on social media platforms such as WeChat and Instagram.
Thanks to its new-found popularity, the company extended the sales period and sold 50 gallons of White Rabbit ice cream between Feb 1 and 20. Another 80 gallons were sold from Feb 21 to 24 as a promotion. The company has announced that the flavor will be kept on the menu till March.
