The Denali Brands team is excited to exhibit at the National Confectioners Association’s Sweets & Snacks Expo this year! Join us in Indianapolis, Indiana from May 13–15, 2025 at booth #6353. If you’d like to attend, qualified attendees can use this link to secure free admission. We’d love to see you there!
Why Sweets & Snacks?
Denali Brands is committed to strengthening our partnerships and building even greater awareness for Moose Tracks®. Sweets & Snacks perfect opportunity to do just that At the expo, we’ll showcase Original Moose Tracks ice cream for all attendees to enjoy, while also serving unique deliveries of the Moose Tracks flavor profile in products like trail mix and soft-baked cookies.
Currently, 3 in 4 Americans are aware of Moose Tracks — a testament to the strength of our brand and the loyalty of our fans. We believe this awareness drives sales for our brand partners each day, but it also means we have room to grow! Events like Sweets & Snacks allow us to introduce Moose Tracks to new audiences, and in turn, support our retail and licensing partners.
Come See Us!
If you’re planning to attend, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to stop by booth #6353 to sample some sweet treats, snag one of our fun giveaways (hello, pint koozies!), and meet the team behind the flavors. You can follow along to learn more about your Sweets & Snacks experience on our LinkedIn page, too.
Our Two Tidbits series on LinkedIn follows two food and beverage trends to watch in 2025.
First, we cover the prevalence of co-branded products in stores, and why it’s gaining steam. You may have noticed that every aisle of the grocery store today has a co-branded product – and the ice cream aisle is no exception! The Food Institute found that consumers are more willing to try a product for the first time if it features a brand they know and love. This makes co-branding a powerful tool in launching new products and piquing consumer interest.
Next, we share how nostalgia is driving consumer purchasing decisions. While nostalgia is nothing new to the marketplace, people – specifically younger generations – are seeking out nostalgic flavors, even in experiences they haven’t yet had. Mintel explains this as “throwback nostalgia,” a feeling that no longer belongs to those who’ve had a certain experience but is also shared among consumers who are seeking those experiences for the first time. We think of it as our 2000s kids playing throwback music from the 80s. Thanks to this trend, we anticipate nostalgic flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and fruit to be on the rise this year.
Want to see the full Two Tidbits in video? Visit our LinkedIn page!
One of the first co-branded products for retail (that we know of) was a luxury dashboard for the Renault Dauphine car. Renault partnered with jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels to design this high-end, co-branded product back in 1956. We must say, it was a pretty sweet ride.
In the 1980s, co-branding experienced a boom with the emergence of co-branded credit cards, linking banks with partners like airlines and retailers. Fast forward to today⏤about 1 in 4 Americans own at least one co-branded or store-specific credit card, according to PYMNTS.
Today, co-branded products are not unusual. In fact, we’ve come a long way in co-branding. Thinking of the food & beverage industry, these items are found in just about every aisle of the grocery store. So, why is co-branding so great?
Why does co-branding work?
First of all, it leads to some pretty fun flavor creation and innovation. Just when you start to think that every flavor has been done before, think again! There’s always a new possibility of inspired flavor profiles thanks to co-branding.
Even more interesting is co-branding helps instill a feeling of confidence amongst consumers. The Food Institute found that consumers may be more willing to try new products if it features a brand they already trust. When launching new product lines, co-branding can be a powerful tool in uniting unique customer bases to help a product excel.
The Denali Brands business has greatly benefited from co-branding – It’s what our business is built on! When the Moose Tracks flavor was launched in 1988, it was a flavor local to Northern Michigan. Since then, it’s been licensed to brand partners throughout North America.
Lessons on co-branding
Co-branding isn’t a cake walk, though. We’ve certainly had our fair share of challenges and lessons. With the continued demand for co-branded products in the marketplace, we’re ending this article with our two key lessons from a nearly 40-year history of co-branding.
Number one: be your brand’s biggest champion. The road to co-branding isn’t always easy; like running any product, it can come with its own set of challenges and risks. We’ve certainly been told “no” many times throughout the years. However, our leadership team never let rejection win. They relentlessly backed our product and weren’t afraid to show off their love for Moose Tracks. This helped us find like-minded partners who understood that our shared passions combined may create something bigger. Take it from us: Your passion can be contagious, so embrace it! Doesn’t this picture sum it up? Our founder, Wally, takes is love for Moose Tracks seriously!
Number two: Step outside the box. It might be a cliché, but it’s true. There are opportunities to innovate beyond the category that you’re currently in, so don’t shy away from seeking them out. In the last year, we set out on a mission to grow beyond the ice cream category, which has which has led us to unique Moose Tracks products in snack aisles, as well as the fitness space. Who knew Moose Tracks could make a great protein powder? We’ve found that by stepping outside our comfort zone, we found perspectives which led to growth in unexpected ways. It’s a “yes man” mantra that helped us embrace the unknown!
This January, members of our team attended IDFA’s Dairy Forum in San Antonio, Texas. This is one of the biggest events for dairy food executives to connect with other industry leaders and discover new perspectives on issues impacting in the dairy industry.
In our Two Tidbits series on LinkedIn, we cover our two main takeaways from the week:
This year, the forum’s theme was “limitless,” and there were plenty of sessions tailored to the idea that we can’t put limits on ourselves in order to succeed. For our team, limitless means keeping an open mind and being willing to try new things. We think a big part of limitless potential comes from supporting your team. Listening to unique ideas and perspectives and pursuing different ideas is where innovation can thrive. We think back to how Denali Brands was created: Our founders certainly weren’t afraid to say “yes” and dive into new adventures.
Our second takeaway is to be authentic. One of this year’s speakers, Carla Harris, a renowned businesswoman and leader, includes authenticity as one of her “Pearls of Intentional Leadership.” We think Carla says it best: “You make more friends by being yourself.” For us, authenticity is a frequent topic because we wear multiple different hats serving customers, brand partners, and maintaining a strong consumer connection. We believe some of what makes Moose Tracks so great is that everyone who touches it—from flavor ideation to production—believes in the product and loves it. Having genuine passion for our product has helped us build relationships and create a genuine environment to share ideas with others.
Blending these two themes together, we’ve found that cross-generational authenticity can help with communication as a team. We poke fun at our generational differences, yes, but we also learn so much from each other and our unique approaches. By being authentic about our differences and keeping an open mind, we grow as a team!
In our Two Tidbits series on LinkedIn, we cover two quick insights on consumer trends in 2025.
First, we cover how consumers are increasingly looking at the health value of ingredients in their diet. Mintel’s Global Food & Beverage Trends report notes that the influx of weight-loss medicines will change perceptions of food, indicating that consumers may look to adding more functional ingredients to meet their daily essential nutrient needs. Consumers are turning to ingredient panels seeking foods meeting daily requirements like fiber, protein, and vitamins. This trend could help explain why a rising number of “healthy” ingredients are marketed on everyday and specialty food products, such as granola, sports drinks, plant-based proteins, and more.
On the flip side, consumers are willing to compromise for moments of indulgence, according to Mintel. We even know lactose-intolerant friends who will “cheat” and eat ice cream! Speaking of ice cream, it’s also interesting to note that the views surrounding the “right time” to enjoy this product have changed. Ice cream can fit into many occasions, like an after-school snack or a scoop in your morning coffee, not just as an after-meal dessert.
In short, as much as leveraging food for fuel is in, so are “imperfect habits.” We’re calling it the consumer balance.
Our second 10,000 Scoop Challenge event of 2024 was incredible! We traveled up to Traverse City, MI, on Thursday, June 13, and of course we had to bring Cherry Moose Tracks to the Cherry Capital of the World! OUr team partnered with Country Fresh to serve 10,000 scoops of FREE Country Fresh Cherry Moose Tracks and Original Moose Tracks Ice Cream and raise $10,000 for The Salvation Army of Traverse City.
The event took place in Rotary Square, which was surrounded by local businesses and located just a couple of blocks away from Lake Michigan. It was a gorgeous summer day – not too hot or cold to grab a free scoop of Cherry Moose Tracks and Original Moose Tracks. We had an amazing crowd from beginning to end and our wonderful volunteers from The Salvation Army of Traverse City were a huge help in scooping and handing out ice cream to all who joined.
We invited local celebrity scoopers like TV news reporters, city administrators, police officials and Coast Guard officers to help us hand out ice cream. The Traverse City Pit Spitters official mascot, Monty, joined our mascot, Tracks, and handed out goodies to the crowds. Speaking of goodies – We gave out exclusive merch like Cherry Moose Tracks bucket hats, friendship bracelets and Traverse City-themed stickers 🍒 The turnout was outstanding!
Did you have a chance to stop by and see us? Make sure you tag us in your photos and use the hashtag #10KScoops!
Our first 10,000 Scoop Challenge of 2024 was a success! Our team traveled to Tampa, Florida, on Thursday, June 6 and partnered with Mayfield Dairy Farms®️ to serve 10,000 scoops of FREE Mayfield Original Moose Tracks Ice Cream and raise $10,000 for The Salvation Army of Tampa, Hillsborough County.
The event took place in Lykes Gaslight Square Park, right in the heart of downtown Tampa. It was sunny skies and 98 degrees; the perfect weather to cool off with a free scoop (or two) of Original Moose Tracks. Many wonderful volunteers from The Salvation Army helped us set up, scoop, hand out ice cream and happily greet all who joined.
ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFLA-TV) joined us in the afternoon, and Mayfield’s official mascot, Maggie the Cow, joined our mascot, Tracks, for tons of fun photos with the crowds. We even had a face painter and photobooth on-site for people to enjoy all day long.
Did you have a chance to stop by and see us? Make sure you tag us in your photos and use the hashtag #10KScoops!
Part of what makes Moose Tracks so fun is that we’re able to work with so many unique dairy processers and brands across the United States and Canada. Some of our relationships date back to 1988, with dairy companies that have been making amazing ice cream for over 100 years. And some of our brand partners are new in their space and looking to expand their footprint as they navigate the new world of brand management and manufacturing.
The ice cream industry is an incredible group of people in that we all want each other to succeed. It is not lost on us that attending industry events is essentially being put in a room with your “competition”, yet it is never viewed this way. It’s almost like a family reunion! With this, we have some great trade associations who have worked hard to create resources that have been vetted by our veteran partners as a great road map for success.
The first resource we recommend is safeicecream.org. It provides a ton of great food safety and manufacturing materials and even breaks it down by state! Several ice cream trade associations collaborated on this website, and it is updated regularly.
Secondly, we’d suggest the Ice Cream Technology Conference as an annual event to get to know other businesses in your industry and learn about the latest advancements in ice cream. It’s usually held in April, and attendees range from large manufacturers, suppliers, to emerging brands. A variety of R&D, regulatory, and executive team members attend. It’s also usually in a beautiful and warm location, so that doesn’t hurt!
Lastly, the Penn State Ice Cream Short Course covers virtually every topic when it comes to safe, quality ice cream processing. It’s also a great opportunity to meet peers in the ice cream space. It’s a weeklong commitment, and you’ll come away with a ton of valuable information that you’ll use for years to come. Many of our colleagues in our industry have attended, whether early in their careers, or as a way to reinforce the knowledge they’ve gained throughout the years. Kenny on the DB team is an ’94 Penn State Short Course grad, Caroline is ’19 grad, and Cam a ’21 grad!
We’d love to hear from you! Do you have any recommendations for resources to add to this? Do you have any questions for us? Please reach out!
Spring is in the air! As we look forward to this new season, we can’t help but feel the energy that new life and development brings to our work as well.
The first quarter of our year was spent settling into our new roles and sorting through the logistics of a newly re-established business. We liken it to a new startup, but with the roots and community of a longtime business. Now that insurance, job roles, and office space have been determined, we can focus on the fun stuff: the Moose Tracks brand!
A major focus so far has been understanding what makes Moose Tracks so unique to consumers. We feel that if we can strengthen the consumer relationship to Moose Tracks, it in turn helps drive sales for our brand partners. We’ve combined study of social media trends with Nielsen data to solidify the Moose Tracks story. What we’re learning is that consumers know and love Original Moose Tracks, but they’ve also been finding joy experiencing some of our newer or more unique flavors, like Caramel Brownie Moose Tracks, Cookie Dough Moose Tracks, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Moose Tracks.
The first non-dairy Moose Tracks flavor was launched in 2023 as well. This new flavor, Cherry Maximum Fudge Moose Tracks, performed the best of the brand lineup it was positioned in.
Now that we’ve onboarded a new accounting and admin team member (welcome, Tracy!), be on the lookout for a new product guide and dedicated support for accounting and royalty management. We are also working on our 10,000 Scoop Challenge event lineup for this summer, a charitable event that allows us to give back in hyper-local ways, as well as meet consumers face-to-face and give them a memorable Moose Tracks experience.
Additionally, our team has been exploring some unique opportunities for Moose Tracks outside of the ice cream space. You may have seen some press coverage on a Banana PB Moose Tracks protein-enhanced nutritional blondie, recently launched with Core Nutritionals. We feel strongly that these opportunities only strengthen the Moose Tracks connection with consumers and will drive ice cream sales in the long-term, as well as raise brand awareness. It’s a win-win!
We sincerely hope you’re gearing up for a great ice cream season ahead. If there’s any way we can support you, please reach out!
As many of you know, Denali Flavors was established in 1988 as a flavor licensing company. The company started with Original Moose Tracks® and soon offered a variety of licensed ice cream flavors. In the time since, Denali Flavors has focused heavily on the Moose Tracks brand and other Denali Classics flavors.
In 2006, Denali Flavors purchased a manufacturing facility in Wisconsin and formed a new company, Denali Ingredients, to manufacture ingredients for the ice cream industry. In November of 2022, a majority share of Denali Ingredients was sold to Orkla Food Ingredients.
As part of this acquisition, a plan was set to continue a long-term partnership between Denali Ingredients and Denali Flavors, but to allow for Denali Flavors to operate as a standalone flavor licensing company once-again.
Beginning January 1, 2024, Denali Flavors will operate independently, known as Denali Brands. This will allow the Denali Brands team to focus on the Moose Tracks brand and our wonderful licensees. Rest assured that our commitment to you remains the same and we hope to provide even more support! Denali Ingredients will continue to be the exclusive supplier of legendary Moose Tracks Fudge, and we look forward to working together to bring you the delicious Moose Tracks experience.
