MINNEAPOLIS, April 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, May 8, 2018 between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., ice cream fans across the U.S. can make their day a little more extraordinary by visiting participating Häagen-Dazs^® Shops locations to indulge in one free scoop of ice cream in a sugar cone, cake cone or cup. Since this year marks the 10^th anniversary of the brand's honey bee support, Häagen-Dazs is dedicating Free Cone Day to the hard-working bees by asking consumers to support the buzz by enjoying a free scoop, learning more about the bees' needs and offering their support to the cause.

One-third of Häagen-Dazs ice cream flavors rely on pollinators, but bees are disappearing at an alarming rate and need help. Over the past 10 years, Häagen-Dazs has supported honey bee research and education by donating more than $1 million and working with ingredient suppliers, the Xerces Society and agronomists to create bee-friendly environments on farms where some of the brand's most essential ice cream ingredients are grown – such as almonds and strawberries. To date, more than 11,000 plants have been planted, impacting 840 acres of farmland. The brand is also working toward the Bee Better Certification for products using these ingredients by helping farms create pollinator habitats and eliminate harmful pesticides.

"Free Cone Day is an opportunity to say thank you to our loyal fans, and we want to continue to recognize the pollinators that make our ice cream possible," said Adam Hanson, The Häagen-Dazs Shoppe Company, Inc. President and General Manager. "Last year, we shared information about why the bees need our help and how everyone can play a role, which received great feedback from our customers. With this year marking the 10^th anniversary of the brand's honey bee support, we wanted to build on that information and encourage everyone to band together for this important cause."

Thanks to The Extraordinary Honey Bee, a new, award-winning immersive VR experience created by Häagen-Dazs, consumers can view the world through a bee's perspective, learning more about the plight of the honey bee and simple steps that can help these vital pollinators thrive. On Free Cone Day, consumers in a few select Shop locations will have the opportunity to experience the video using VR technology.

This Free Cone Day, consumers can support the buzz by:

• Visiting a Häagen-Dazs Shops location to try one of the many bee dependent ice cream flavors
• Learning more through The Extraordinary Honey Bee VR experience and spreading the word
• Donating to the Xerces Society to help reach a goal of planting 1 million acres of habitat for bees: www.xerces.org/hd

For more information about Häagen-Dazs Shops' Free Cone Day and to find out which local Häagen-Dazs Shops are participating, please check the Shop Finder at www.haagendazs.us/freeconeday.  

The Häagen-Dazs Shoppe Company is always seeking new franchise owners with a passion for Häagen-Dazs super-premium ice cream to open shops in premier locations. To learn more about Häagen-Dazs Shops or how to open a franchise, please visit the www.haagendazsshoppecompany.com. 

About Häagen-Dazs Shops
The first Häagen-Dazs Shop opened in Brooklyn, NY in 1976, giving consumers a new outlet for the distinctive velvety, super-premium ice cream of Häagen-Dazs. Today the Häagen-Dazs Shops system in the United States is made up of more than 200 independently owned and operated locations, franchised by The Häagen-Dazs Shoppe Company, Inc., which proudly offer top quality indulgent desserts that start with Häagen-Dazs products. For more information, please visit www.haagendazs.us/shops, join the company's fan page at www.facebook.com/HaagenDazsUS and follow the brand on Twitter at @HaagenDazs_US.

The Häagen-Dazs^® trademark is used under license. ©HDIP, Inc. 

SOURCE Haagen-Dazs

Related Links

https://www.haagendazs.us/shops