# Barbecue Popcorn Ice Creams Fun Food Crunch is a Sweet-And-Savory Ice Cream Flavor By Amy Duong | Published 2026-08-16 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fun-food-crunch References: [foodbev](https://www.foodbev.com/news/udf-and-grippo-foods-launch-limited-edition-sweet-and-savoury-ice-cream)  The Fun Food Crunch ice cream combines [buttered popcorn flavor](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/flavortown-microwave-popcorn) with a [caramel swirl](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/super-fun-times) infused with Grippo's Bar-B-Q seasoning and [chocolate-coated pretzel pieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chocolatecoated-popcorn). Created through a collaboration between United Dairy Farmers and Grippo Foods, the limited-edition release blends sweet and savory ingredients into a single frozen dessert inspired by familiar snack foods. The co-branded flavor is produced under UDF's Homemade ice cream line and brings together popcorn, barbecue seasoning and crunchy pretzel inclusions within a buttered popcorn-flavored base. The collaboration marks a partnership between two family-owned Cincinnati companies with a combined history spanning nearly 200 years. Developed to celebrate their shared regional heritage, the release introduces Grippo's signature barbecue seasoning in a new product category while maintaining Homemade's premium ice cream format. Image Credit: UDF ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.3/10 - Popularity: 50% | Activity: 48% | Freshness: 91% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Savory Dessert Mashups:** Sweet frozen treats are increasingly incorporating salty, smoky, and spiced profiles, creating room for unexpected flavor formats that challenge traditional dessert boundaries. - **Snack-inspired Ice Cream:** Familiar snack cues such as popcorn, pretzels, and barbecue seasoning are becoming premium dessert ingredients that translate nostalgic cravings into novelty-driven products. - **Regional Brand Collaborations:** Local heritage brands are using co-created limited editions to extend recognizable flavors into new categories while strengthening community-based consumer appeal. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Frozen Desserts:** Premium ice cream makers can differentiate crowded freezers through unconventional inclusions and cross-category flavor systems tied to snack culture. - **Snack Foods:** Seasoning and snack brands are finding new relevance as ingredient partners in desserts, beverages, and other adjacent formats beyond the chip aisle. - **Food Collaborations:** Co-branded limited releases are reshaping packaged food innovation by combining loyal audiences, regional identity, and collectible product experiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Extra-Carbonated Sodas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pepsi-extra-fizz.md) - [Cottage Cheese Protein Puddings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cottage-cheese-protein-pudding.md) - [Comfort-Inspired Waffle Hotel Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/choice-hotels-internationals.md) - [Pet Rescue Food Donations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/badlands-ranch.md) - [Spicy Sichuan Chocolate Bars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kessho-x-fly-by-jing.md) - [QSR-Supported Back-To-School Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/communities-in-schools.md) - [Supernatural Market Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ghost-market.md) - [Integrated Diabetes Support Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/culinary-health-consultants.md) - [Spicy Minced-Meat Patties](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/super-spicy-taiwan-mince-cutlet.md)