Kemps® Launches Search for Ice Cream Lovers to Develop Next Minnesota-Inspired Ice Cream Flavor

ST. PAUL, Minn., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine walking the ice cream aisle at your local grocery store and having your own personal flavor on display. Today Kemps is turning that wish into reality with the launch of the Hometown Favorite Ice Cream Flavor contest.  

The Hometown Favorite Ice Cream Flavor contest gives Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota residents a chance to create the next flavor in the Kemps Hometown Favorites line-up and join current flavors Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar, Pearson's Nut Goodie and Minnesota Wild themed flavors.

"Kemps is proud to be a member of local communities and now Kemps ice cream fans can decide the next flavor to bring to store shelves," said Rachel Kyllo, vice president of marketing, Kemps. "We are thrilled to see what flavors fans come up with and how they use our latest Hometown Favorites for inspiration."

ICE CREAM LOVERS PICK THE WINNER

Participants can submit their ice cream flavor idea, name and Minnesota inspiration May 24 through June 14, 2011 via www.kempsnextflavor.com. Kemps will select ten finalists and then turn it over to ice cream fans from June 22 – July 6, 2011 to vote online and choose the top two flavors.

The program culminates at the Minnesota State Fair where fairgoers can stop by the Kemps booth, taste the two final flavors and cast a vote for their favorite. On Sunday, September 4 the ultimate winner will be selected based on fairgoer votes, online votes and a live celebrity judging panel at the fairgrounds. The judging panel will feature Kemps spokeswoman (and Joe Mauer's mom) Teresa Mauer and surprise guests.

The winning flavor will go into production and be available in stores in early 2012. The creator of the winning flavor will receive a cash prize of $2,500, their personal story will be featured on their ice cream flavor's carton and they will also receive a year's supply of the ice cream they helped create.

CELEBRATE MINNESOTA ICONS

Kemps has revitalized past partnerships with other local icons, including Sweet Martha's Cookies, Pearson's Nut Goodie and the Minnesota Wild to develop the 2011 line-up of Hometown Favorites ice creams that celebrate iconic Minnesota brands. Kemps has been a proud partner of both Sweet Martha and Pearson's in the past and due to consumer demand; these flavors are back for a limited time.

"It was an easy decision to work with Kemps again," said Martha "Sweet Martha" Rossini Olson. "I know Minnesotans are going to love the way our hometown products taste together."

The three limited edition Hometown Favorites ice creams are sold in 1.5 quart containers at all participating major Minnesota grocery stores and large supercenter retailers for a suggested retail price of $5.99.

• The Minnesota Wild Hockey Puck ice cream is available in stores until May 31 and is a fudge sundae of vanilla ice cream with hockey puck shaped fudge pieces.
• Sweet Martha's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream will be on store shelves from June through August 2011. The ice cream is made with the same chocolate chips Sweet Martha uses in her famous cookies sold at the Minnesota State Fair.
• Pearson's Nut Goodie ice cream features the true taste of a classic Nut Goodie with maple flavored ice cream swirled with chunks of chocolate nut clusters. The Nut Goodie ice cream will be available from September 2011 through January 2012. Kemps has made other Pearson's flavors in the past, but Nut Goodie was revived because of its popularity.

About Kemps

Founded in 1914, Kemps LLC, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, markets milk, ice cream and related dairy products under the Kemps brand. The company operates six manufacturing facilities located in Minneapolis, Rochester, Farmington and Duluth, Minnesota and Cedarburg, Wisconsin and employs 1,200 in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Kemps is well known in the industry for introducing innovative new products and has received frequent recognition for successful first-to-market product launches such as Kemps IttiBitz and Kemps Frozen Yogurt Parfaits. www.kemps.com

SOURCE Kemps LLC