On Tuesday, October 29, Magnolia Bakery announced a new line of frozen-to-thaw Banana Puddings, an airy, whipped frozen dessert that’s made with real bananas, naturally flavored and does not melt when thawed from frozen in the refrigerator. The company expects this new line to contribute more than 15 percent of its annual revenue.
To bring this product to market, the Magnolia Bakery team worked for over three years to create a banana pudding that met the brand’s high product standards and met consumers’ needs. Magnolia Bakery’s fresh banana pudding sold worldwide cannot be frozen or kept for later because banana slices cannot be frozen and thawed without turning brown and changing texture. To answer the challenge, the company innovated a new formulation, still using real bananas, but that allows the product to be frozen and thawed.
Magnolia Bakery’s frozen-to-thaw Banana Puddings are available in three flavors in 14-ounce cups – Wafer Cookie Bits, Chocolatey Hazelnut Swirl and Red Velvet Cookie Bits. As of December 1, a 3-ounce version of Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding - Wafer Cookie Bits will also be served onboard United Airlines’ domestic first-class meal program.
Retail partners for the new line include DoorDash, Wonder, Amazon Fresh, GoPuff, United Airlines, and in airports in partnership with OTG and WHSmith and more. They’re priced at $9.99-$10.99 per 14-ounce cup.
Last year, Magnolia Bakery sold more than 2.2 million cups of the dessert and fans have been asking for wider availability. Additionally, a recent brand survey found that 67 percent of responders said they're "very likely" to purchase banana pudding if it were available more often.
“The launch of this new frozen-to-thaw Banana Pudding product line will be a cherished milestone in Magnolia Bakery’s storied history,” says Bobbie Lloyd, chief executive officer and chief baking officer of Magnolia Bakery. “As we continue to build towards the future on our successful 28-year foundation as one of America’s most beloved bakeshops, our new Banana Pudding innovation will not only elevate the experiences of our loyal customers but also introduce new ways for people to connect with our brand. This has been a career-long dream for me and I’m so proud that we developed a product that is true to our brand DNA.”
“This marks an exciting time as we launch our newest product - frozen-to-thaw Banana Pudding, crafted with our consumers’, customers’ and the category’s needs and desires in mind,” says Eddie Revis, chief commercial officer of Magnolia Bakery. “We knew we had an opportunity to develop a product line that delivered on what is expected of our brand while also driving incremental growth and excitement for the frozen desserts category. In development for over 3 years, we listened carefully to our consumers, our customers and most importantly - ourselves - in developing a new product that not only felt novel, but complimentary to everything we do.”