Cold Stone Launches OREO, REESE’S Ice Cream Creations

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Cold Stone Creamery has introduced a new lineup of limited-time summer desserts. The collection features collaborations with OREO and REESE’S. The seasonal menu expansion focuses on peanut butter, chocolate, and cookie-inspired flavors.

The rollout was announced on May 13. The launch includes new ice cream flavors, shakes, cakes, and signature Creations™. The products are available at participating locations nationwide for a limited time.

The lineup centers around a new Cookies ’n’ Peanut Butter Ice Cream made with OREO and REESE’S ingredients. The launch reflects continued consumer demand for branded collaborations and nostalgia-driven dessert products.

Consumers can browse the featured desserts on Cold Stone Creamery’s website. The products are listed within the company’s menu and seasonal offerings pages.

The seasonal lineup includes several new products combining chocolate cookie, peanut butter, and pretzel flavor profiles.

Why it matters

The Cold Stone launch highlights a growing industry trend. Restaurant and dessert brands continue leaning into co-branded flavor partnerships. These collaborations are often used to drive seasonal traffic and increase social media engagement.

Partnerships involving recognizable snack brands like OREO and REESE’S have become increasingly common across the CPG and foodservice industries. These collaborations offer built-in consumer familiarity. They also provide a strong visual appeal for social media marketing campaigns.

The strategy aligns with ongoing nostalgia-driven purchasing behavior. This trend is especially visible among Gen Z and millennial consumers. Many shoppers respond positively to recognizable legacy brands combined with limited-time exclusivity.

For restaurant operators, these partnerships may also reduce product development risk. Brands can rely on established flavor recognition instead of launching entirely unfamiliar concepts.

The commercial strategy behind these collaborations goes far beyond flavor development. Licensed partnerships with brands like OREO and REESE’S can strengthen retail positioning, accelerate consumer recognition, and improve seasonal marketing performance. However, they also introduce higher ingredient costs, longer development timelines, packaging approval requirements, and more complex sourcing coordination. In our related analysis, The Ingredient Strategy Behind Cold Stone’s OREO & REESE’S Collab and What It Means for Your Brand, we explore how food brands evaluate whether licensed ingredients justify the operational and commercial tradeoffs involved in scaling these types of dessert collaborations.

Industry context points to a continued dessert collaboration trend

The launch follows a broader wave of CPG and quick-service restaurant partnerships centered on candy, cereal, and cookie brands.

In recent years, brands including Krispy Kreme, Dairy Queen, and Baskin-Robbins have expanded limited-time menus through licensed candy collaborations designed to generate online conversation and repeat traffic.

Industry analysts have noted that co-branded dessert launches often perform well because they combine familiarity with novelty: two purchasing drivers that remain influential in the frozen dessert category.

The emphasis on visually layered products also reflects ongoing social media marketing strategies where presentation and shareability influence consumer engagement.

Editor’s note: Source86 perspective

For food manufacturers and private label dessert brands, the Cold Stone collaboration highlights several ongoing industry trends. These include nostalgia marketing, licensing partnerships, and indulgence-focused innovation within the frozen dessert sector.

Consumers continue gravitating toward recognizable flavor combinations. Many are also drawn to limited-time food and beverage experiences. In response, brands are searching for faster ways to develop retail-ready products. Companies are also trying to balance operational efficiency with a strong social media appeal.

At Source86, we help food brands manage ingredient sourcing and R&D coordination. We also support co-manufacturing partnerships, private label production, and supply chain visibility across the CPG landscape.

From bulk ingredient procurement to retail-ready commercialization, strategic collaboration remains a key driver of growth. This is especially true within today’s competitive dessert and snack categories. Let’s talk.

What’s New

While loading up on classic inclusions like OREO and Reese’s satisfies traditional summer cravings, Cold Stone Creamery is simultaneously pushing the envelope with unexpected flavor profiles and major entertainment tie-ins. To capture both cinematic pop-culture hype and the growing consumer demand for complex, carnival-inspired treats, the creamery has launched an entirely different superhero-themed collection. Discover how they are blending blockbusters with an iconic sweet-and-salty favorite in our coverage of the Cold Stone Creamery Supergirl & Kettle Corn Ice Cream Launch.

FAQs

What new flavors did Cold Stone Creamery release for summer 2026?

Cold Stone Creamery introduced Cookies ’n’ Peanut Butter Ice Cream made with OREO and REESE’S, along with additional limited-time shakes, cakes, and Creations™ featuring the brands.

When are the new Cold Stone summer desserts available?

The seasonal products became available beginning May 13, 2026, at participating Cold Stone Creamery locations nationwide for a limited time.

Why are dessert brands partnering with candy companies?

Co-branded dessert launches help brands leverage consumer familiarity, nostalgia, and social media engagement while reducing the risk associated with launching entirely new flavor concepts.

External source: Scoop into Summer with OREO® and REESE’S Creations™ at Cold Stone Creamery