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Hudsonville Ice Cream is expanding its licensed Little Debbie frozen portfolio, launching ice cream sandwiches based on two of the US snack cake brand’s best-known products, as food manufacturers continue to blur the lines between ambient snacking and frozen desserts.

The new products aim to blur the lines between ambient snacking and frozen desserts and come in two variants – Oatmeal Creme Pies and Cosmic Brownies ice cream sandwiches.

They build on an existing collaboration between Hudsonville and Little Debbie owner McKee Foods, which has already seen several of the snack brand’s flavours adapted into ice cream pints and bars.

The launch underscores the growing appeal of brand extension deals as manufacturers look to accelerate innovation while reducing the risk associated with launching entirely new brands.

Established snack brands with high consumer recognition are increasingly being leveraged to drive growth in adjacent categories, particularly indulgent frozen formats.

The ice cream sandwiches combine vanilla or brownie-flavoured ice cream with baked components that mirror the original snack cakes, a format that allows Hudsonville to target impulse purchases and family consumption occasions within the highly competitive US ice cream aisle.

Initial distribution will focus on large regional and national grocery chains including Kroger, Meijer, Hy-Vee and Hannaford, reflecting a strategy aimed at rapid scale rather than limited or seasonal rollout. Additional retailers could be added later, the company said.

The US ice cream market has remained resilient despite pressure on discretionary spending, with licensed and nostalgia-led products proving particularly effective at driving trial and repeat purchases.

Formats that tap into familiar flavours can help manufacturers defend shelf space as retailers rationalise ranges and prioritise proven sellers.

Hudsonville, a family-owned ice cream manufacturer based in Michigan, has positioned licensing partnerships as a core part of its growth strategy, combining third-party brand equity with its vertically integrated production capabilities.

The company operates what it describes as one of the most advanced ice cream manufacturing facilities in the US.