WM and Novel Ice Cream to Debut Exclusive, Signature Green Ice Cream Flavor at the 2026 WM Phoenix Open

A portion of ice cream sales are expected to support sustainability-related projects in Arizona through the WM Phoenix Open Working For Tomorrow Fund^SM

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WM, a leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions and title sponsor of the WM Phoenix Open (WMPO), is teaming up with Arizona-based Novel Ice Cream to bring a new, signature green ice cream to the 2026 WMPO. Created exclusively for the tournament, "WMPO Green Dream" will be sold February 3-8 alongside a variety of other Novel Ice Cream flavors. Novel Ice Cream plans to donate 20% of all ice cream sales to the WM Phoenix Open Working For Tomorrow Fund^SM, an initiative created by WM and The Thunderbirds, WMPO tournament host, to support sustainability-related projects in Arizona.

"The WM Phoenix Open is much more than a golf tournament — it's a celebration of sustainability, community and innovation," said David Brannon, Four Corners area vice president, WM. "Collaborating with Novel Ice Cream to create a signature green ice cream flavor – WMPO Green Dream – is a fun way to engage fans while fundraising for causes that support the Arizona community. Whether fans are cooling off with a scoop or learning about our zero-waste efforts in the WM Green Scene, where the ice cream will be sold, we hope this new offering inspires them to see how small moments can contribute to a bigger impact."

Created by Novel Ice Cream's award-winning owner, WMPO Green Dream will feature mint ice cream with chocolate chips and pretzels, topped with green and yellow candies. The ice cream will be sold out of a co-branded WM and Novel Ice Cream truck in the WM Green Scene, an interactive area located in the WMPO Fan Zone. Keeping with the tournament's zero-waste strategy, the signature ice cream will be served in a cone, compostable cup, doughnut or waffle cup with compostable utensils.

"As a proud Arizona business, we couldn't be more thrilled to team up with WM to bring an exclusive, signature green ice cream to the WM Phoenix Open," said Shawn Allard, owner of Novel Ice Cream, which was recently named best ice cream shop in the U.S. by Yelp. "This collaboration lets us serve up something fun and flavorful while giving back to the community we love. We hope fans feel the joy and purpose behind every bite."

2026 marks year three of the WM Phoenix Open Working For Tomorrow Fund^SM. To date, the fund has raised more than $800,000 for sustainability-related projects across the state of Arizona. Planned beneficiaries for 2026 include Waste Not, an organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona that rescues unused food and delivers it to the local community; the Arizona Sustainability Alliance, a nonprofit advancing sustainability across the state through education and community engagement; and local projects identified through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.

In addition to purchasing Novel Ice Cream at the tournament, fans can help raise money for the fund by wearing green on Saturday, the WMPO's annual Green Out Day, in which The Thunderbirds donate $1 to the fund for every fan, golfer and caddie who wears green to the tournament. Fans can also choose to participate in the tournament's 50/50 raffle, in which 50% of the pot goes to one lucky fan and 50% is donated to the fund.

The 2026 tournament will be WM's 17^th year as title sponsor of the "Greenest Show on Grass," one of the world's largest certified zero-waste sporting events. From recovering millions of pounds of material for its next life, educating fans about sustainability and raising record donations for Arizona charities, the WM Phoenix Open continues to demonstrate how a major sporting event can minimize impacts on the environment and positively benefit the community.

ABOUT WM
WM (WM.com) is North America's leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions. Previously known as Waste Management and based in Houston, Texas, WM is driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides collection, recycling and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial, industrial, medical and municipal customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With innovative infrastructure and capabilities in recycling, organics and renewable energy, WM provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its customers in helping them pursue their sustainability goals. In North America, WM has the largest disposal network and collection fleet, is the largest recycler and is a leader in beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing network of renewable natural gas plants and the most landfill gas-to-electricity plants, as well as the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet in the industry. WM Healthcare Solutions provides collection and disposal services of regulated medical waste and secure information destruction services in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. To learn more about WM and the company's sustainability progress and solutions, visit Sustainability.WM.com. 

ABOUT NOVEL ICE CREAM
Novel Ice Cream has become an Arizona staple since its opening day on March 15th, 2017. Our team is focused on serving texture-driven small-batch handcrafted ice cream and our award-winning ice cream stuffed donut. Our ice cream is made two pans at a time with renewed attention to flavor, texture, and toppings. Our ice cream chef develops each recipe specifically for each individual flavor and the integrity of our ingredients is never compromised with additives or processed stabilizing. With this hands-on approach, Novel's mission is to change the way our communities eat and feel about this nostalgic treat, by giving ice cream lovers an entirely fresh ice cream experience. Our community-driven team is built to bring people together one Dough Melt at a time.

ABOUT THE WM PHOENIX OPEN
The 2026 WM Phoenix Open returns to TPC Scottsdale February 2–8, bringing back "The People's Open" for its 91st edition. Recognized five times as the PGA TOUR's Tournament of the Year, the WM Phoenix Open is celebrated as one of golf's most iconic and fan-friendly events. In 2025, Thomas Detry made history in the desert, capturing his first career PGA TOUR win and becoming the first Belgian champion on the PGA TOUR. The 2026 tournament marks the 17th year with WM – North America's leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions – as proud title sponsor. During WM's time as title sponsor, the tournament has contributed to setting a new standard for charitable giving and sustainability in sports, earning recognition as one of the largest certified zero-waste sporting events in the world for 13 consecutive years and raising millions of dollars for the Arizona community each year. The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 "active" members and more than 280 "life" members who have helped the tournament eclipse $226 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932, with the 2025 WM Phoenix Open raising a single-tournament record $18.1 million for charity.

SOURCE WM