There’s plenty of screaming over this ice cream.
Walmart‘s Great Value line recently released a Juneteenth-themed ice cream, which hasn’t sat well with consumers. The product, branded as “Celebration Edition: Juneteenth Ice Cream,” was decorated with the Pan-African colors and described on the label as a swirled red velvet and cheesecake. The frozen desert’s label read, “Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation and enduring hope.”
Following backlash online—with one twitter user saying, “Nobody asked for some Juneteenth ice cream. Not one person.”—the retail store released a statement to E! News apologizing for the sweet treat. (After all, as one user slammed, this is “why it’s important to hire diverse perspectives.”)
“Juneteenth holiday marks a celebration of freedom and independence,” Walmart said. “However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate.”
Amid the criticism, some are using the viral moment to encourage shoppers to purchase from Black-owned companies instead.
