Along with their delicious ice cream, popular artisan brand Jeni’s is known for creating flavor collaborations with big-name musicians. Back in 2019, Jeni’s teamed up with Tyler The Creator to create two exclusive flavors. The rapper’s ice cream flew off the shelves at the time, but Jeni’s wasn’t prepared for just how popular their new collaboration with Dolly Parton would be.
Parton worked with the ice cream brand to craft the flavor Strawberry Pretzel Pie, which was limited to only 10,000 pints. The flavor was released online and in stores on Thursday, and it was so popular that Jeni’s website immediately crashed upon its release, leading to both confusion and disappointment from die-hard Parton fans.
On Thursday morning, Jeni’s tweeted an announcement that the ice cream drop was coming in five minutes.
5 minutes 👀
— Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (@jenisicecreams) April 8, 2021
But so many people were trying to purchased a coveted pint, that the website crashed when the flavor was supposed to launch. “Did y’all just break our website?” Jeni’s wrote just a few minutes later.
Did y’all just break our website?
— Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (@jenisicecreams) April 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/lauraolin/status/1380190300640006149
https://twitter.com/NickCho/status/1380197110721572867
https://twitter.com/ChuckWendig/status/1380191312624947202
People weren’t just trying to buy the pint online, however. Dolly fans flooded their local Jeni’s Ice Cream stores to try to snag a scoop, and lines formed around the block at several locations.
I guess I still came way too late for the @jenisicecreams Dolly Parton drop. The line is already around the back of the building before the Clintonville location opens at noon.
Gonna be doubtful I even get a pint to try. pic.twitter.com/ZOxG4ekg2S
— Gabe Rosenberg (@GabrielJR) April 8, 2021
Here’s the Grandview Jeni’s Dolly line 20 minutes before they opened pic.twitter.com/b8fmm3VG0X
— 2024 Disliker (@WindingDot) April 8, 2021
Well, the DC Jeni’s is already out of pints of the new Dolly Parton ice cream but I did snag a scoop (or two) pic.twitter.com/kW7NCUvLZi
— Adam Smith (@asmith83) April 8, 2021
Though some fans were frustrated that they weren’t able to get their hands on a pint of Parton’s ice cream, they can rest assured knowing the money went to a good cause. Proceeds from Parton’s ice cream flavor are being donated to her Imagination Library charity, an organization which gifts books to young children.