What happened to Godiva ice cream?

As anyone who’s had it will tell you, Godiva’s Belgian Dark Chocolate ice cream is the nectar of the gods.

However, for the last six months at least, none of the stores I’d been getting it at (Giant and Safeway in Columbia, MD) carry it any more. I’ve checked at several other stores I usually don’t frequent for groceries (SuperFresh, Target, WalMart), and they don’t have it either.

I’ve sent off an e-mail to the Godiva Web site, but in the meantime I thought I’d check with my fellow Dopers.

Can you still get it? Has it also disappeared in your area? Where are you? Have you heard anything? Thanks!

I want my dark chocolate ice cream!

Moving thread From IMHO to Cafe Society.

Have you tried talking to the store managers? They’d be able to tell you why and if they stopped carrying it. Heck, my mom complained to the grocery store manager about them not carrying sugar-free whipped topping mix, and the store started stocking it again. (Though I’m sure others complained, too. It’s not like my mom’s Hera, or anything.)

My wife liked the one with the dark chocolate hearts (I am not sure if that is what you are talking about). It disapeared from Central and South Texas about 8 months ago. Believe me, she checked everywhere. However, we have not checked recently.

It’s disappeared from Harris Teeter in Raleigh and Food Lion didn’t carry it.

Still carried at our local Jewel W of Chicago.
My wife has a couple of Godiva faves, but my preferences tend towards Starbucks or Dove. Or if B&J or HD happen to be on sale!

Apparently you aren’t the only one who was upset.

Thanks to all for your replies.

I sent this e-mail to Godiva a few minutes before opening this thread:

According to the time stamps, three minutes later, before I had actually posted the OP, this reply came back:

(I didn’t see the reply before posting the OP because it went to my office computer.)

Since this reply is a little vague, I just called the 800 number and found out that the manufacturer of the ice cream went out of business late last winter, and that whatever is still in stores is the last of their stock. Dinsdale’s lucky enough to be getting some, but essentially there’s no more.

But the friendly rep on the phone says they’ve been doing testing and trying to make a deal with some other manufacturers and hope to have it back on shelves in less than six months.

So there’s hope. If you want to be on the e-mail list to find out when it’s available again, send a message to letters@godiva.com.

(BTW, I hate Hagen Dazs ice cream. I’ve tried it a few times on sale, and the chocolate has to be the worst chocolate ice cream – premium or not – out there. Ughh.)

Wasn’t Godiva bought out by Hershey’s awhile back? If so, the dreaded corporate bean-counting method of doing business is probably governing Godiva now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this had something to do with problems of any description having to do with their products. I do know that their chocolates seem to have gone down the toilet - the last time I ever tried one they were no better than mass-produced supermarket chocolate.

Godiva is owned by Campbell Soup Company, and has been since 1974. According to this article, Hershey’s acquired Scharffen Berger, a specialty chocolatier in Berkeley, CA, two years ago.

Well, as long as it is their intent.