Colin Kaepernick Gets His Own Flavor of Ben & Jerry's
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Former 49er quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick announced on Twitter Thursday that he's getting his own flavor of Ben & Jerry's non-dairy frozen dessert.
Kaepernick and the ice cream company collaborated to release "Change the Whirled," a "caramel non-dairy frozen dessert with fudge chips, graham cracker swirls & chocolate cookie swirls." The new "full-time" flavor (not seasonal) will be available in stores in 2021.
All of Kaepernick's proceeds go to Know Your Rights camp, the non-profit Kaepernick started back in 2016 in Oakland to "advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders."
"I've teamed up with @BenAndJerrys to serve up joy on the journey to justice!," Kaepernick tweeted Thursday.
Since 2016, when he was still a quarterback for the 49ers, the now 33-year-old Kaepernick has used his fame for activism. It began with his protest of police violence by kneeling during the national anthem during games and evolved to include fundraising partnerships with Nike and Ben & Jerry's.
"I'm honored to partner with Ben & Jerry's on Change the Whirled," Kaepernick said in a press release. "Their commitment to challenging the anti-Black roots of policing in the United States demonstrates a material concern for the wellbeing of Black and Brown communities."
In a press release published Thursday, the company said it's an "aspiring social justice company" that admires Kaepernick's work confronting systemic oppression, and it created Change The Whirled to honor his work by "sweetening the long struggle for justice."
"Ben & Jerry's is proud to diversify our flavor portfolio by honoring Kaepernick with a full-time flavor," said Matthew McCarthy, CEO of Ben & Jerry's. "We deeply respect how Colin uses his voice to protest racism, white supremacy and police violence through the belief that love is at the root of our resistance."
Ben & Jerry's has worked with celebrities in the past on flavors, most notably Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia on "Cherry Garcia." Currently, the company also has a partnership with the streaming service Netflix.
