In a colorful twist on product innovation, Crayola and Jel Sert have teamed up to launch a new Banana Mango freezer bar flavor—inspired by the return of Crayola’s retired Dandelion crayon and created entirely by kids. This vibrant flavor joins the Fla-Vor-Ice lineup in a limited-edition pack available at Amazon, Sam’s Club, and major retailers nationwide.
The campaign brings together creativity, nostalgia, and community with a first-of-its-kind approach: opening Jel Sert’s R&D lab to a group of local elementary school students, who worked side by side with food scientists to dream up a flavor that captured the spirit of Crayola’s Dan D. the Dandelion. The result? A tangy-sweet, sunshine-yellow Banana Mango freezer bar that embodies adventure and imagination.
Flavor meets color: Crayola’s dandelion makes a sweet comeback
To celebrate the return of the Dandelion crayon—a fan favorite color retired in 2017—Crayola partnered with Jel Sert to develop a flavor as bold and bright as the crayon itself. But instead of doing the usual flavor brainstorm behind closed doors, the companies took a new route: they invited kids from Wegner Elementary (named after Jel Sert’s founding family) into the innovation process.
Each student was introduced to “Dan D.,” Dandelion’s colorful persona, and asked to imagine a flavor that would match his sunny outlook. With help from Jel Sert’s food scientists, the kids explored fruit pairings, tested combinations, and landed on a crowd-pleasing Banana Mango blend.
Crayola isn’t the only brand bringing playful innovation to freezer bars. JonnyPops has also been sprinkling magic into snack time with Unicorn Twist Pops and Freeze Dried Minis, combining whimsical designs, rainbow flavors, and on-the-go convenience. Together, these launches show how frozen treats are evolving to be as imaginative as they are delicious.
The coolest freezer bar flavor
This collaboration breaks new ground in the CPG world:
- First time kids helped co-create a national freezer bar flavor
- Crayola’s Dandelion color serves as both muse and marketing magic
- The campaign ties creativity, nostalgia, and community engagement into one product
- Each box includes a 2-month trial of Crayola Create and Play, a digital art and learning app
“In the CPG industry, it’s exceptionally rare for a company to open its R&D lab and empower kids to develop a flavor that ultimately makes it to market. As a family-owned and operated business with large-scale manufacturing capabilities, we’re uniquely positioned to bring bold, unconventional ideas to life, something that sets us apart in this space,” Amy Pagels, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Jel Sert.
From crayon box to snack attack
For CPG and private label brands, this campaign offers a lesson in:
- Engaging consumers early in the process: inviting end-users (kids!) into R&D made for an authentic, excitement-filled launch.
- Tapping into emotion and nostalgia: the revival of a beloved crayon color adds layers of storytelling.
- Cross-category collaboration: Crayola, typically outside the food world, found the perfect partner in Jel Sert to blend creativity and flavor.
The banana mango flavor joins a freezer bar pack that also features signature Jel Sert classics like Berry Punch, Lemon Lime, Strawberry, Orange, and Grape—but it’s Dan D.’s inspired flavor that steals the show.
Your turn to taste the rainbow
Crayola and Jel Sert didn’t just launch a product; they created an experience. By fusing creative expression with food science and real community voices, this campaign stands out in a crowded frozen treats aisle. Plus, the added bonus of a Crayola Create and Play trial means the color and creativity keep flowing long after snack time.
And for fans of nostalgia, it’s a sweet and clever way to reintroduce a color that left a mark—and now leaves a taste.
For anyone in foodservice, product innovation, or kid-focused CPG, this launch offers a new playbook: build flavor with feeling, story, and consumer input from the very beginning.
Looking to launch your next creative product? Whether you’re reimagining nostalgic flavors or creating the next freezer aisle hit, we can help. Explore our bulk fruit ingredients, natural flavors, and R&D support to bring your vision to life!
