Cinnabon is rolling out a new beverage called the Creamy ReTreat — a blend of Oreo cookies, a hint of vanilla and ribbons of Ghirardelli chocolate sauce as part of a limited time offer that lasts until Sept. 3.
The Creamy ReTreat ($3.99 for 16 ounces, $4.49 for 24 ounces) is part of an updated line of blended frozen beverages that also include the return of Tangy ReTreats and the current Fruity ReTreats (both $3.59 for 16 ounces, $4.29 for 24 ounces), said Kat Cole, Cinnabon president.
The LTO was specifically rolled out for the summer months. “We want to grow the beverage offerings at a time when people are inclined to buy beverages, and that’s summer,” Cole told Nation’s Restaurant News.
EARLIER: Cold drinks heat up at quick-service chains
New menu items heat up summer
It also allowed Cinnabon to organize its three creamy blended beverages under a single ReTreat moniker, Cole said.
The Tangy ReTreat is a low-fat, dairy-free frozen blended lemonade, which is available in lemon, raspberry and orange-mango flavors and served with Cinnabon-flavored syrup swirls. The Fruity ReTreat is an existing line of fruit-puree blended beverages in strawberry, strawberry-banana and tropical blast flavors.
“We knew we were going to focus on beverage because that area drives more repeat business and extends products beyond” the traditional Cinnabon products, Cole said.
“We wanted to add some creaminess beyond just the fruit-blended [offerings],” she said. “We knew Oreo would be a hit.”
The new Creamy ReTreat is a cream-based vanilla drink with the lighter texture of a shake. Cole described it as, “more like a smoothie.”
Cinnabon also is introducing three new flavors of its cream cheese frosting — raspberry, orange and strawberry. They can be paired with the company’s portable snacks, as a dip for Cinnabon Stix or as a topping for baked good Center of the Roll.
With the fruit-flavored cream cheese frostings, Cinnabon aimed to combine its comfort-food reputation with an offering that had a refreshing edge and a tropical twist.
Cole acknowledged that Cinnabon traditionally has not been “super creative in frosting flavors,” but it sees the LTO as an opportunity to showcase new flavors, she said.
Atlanta-based Cinnabon operates more than 800 franchised bakeries worldwide, primarily in shopping malls, airports, train stations, academic institutions and military sites. Cinnabon was founded in Seattle in 1985 and is owned by FOCUS Brands Inc., which also owns Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Schlotzsky’s and Moe’s Southwest Grill.
Contact Alan Snel at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @AlanSnelNRN
