Oatly Giving Away 16,000 Ice Cream Bars on National Ice Cream Day

National Ice Cream Day is celebrated in the middle of summer for a good reason. With heat waves affecting most of the United States this week, an icy cold treat is exactly what's needed right about now. This National Ice Cream Day, which is Sunday, July 17, if you are avoiding dairy, eating vegan, or just prefer a plant-based product to one made with cow's milk, then you are in luck. Swedish oat milk company Oatly just announced that more than 25 ice cream trucks will be touring the country, giving away over 16,000 vegan ice cream bars.

Oatly’s new non-dairy frozen dessert bars feature several beloved flavors including Chocolate Fudge, Vanilla, Strawberry Swirl, and Salted Caramel. The vegan treats contain one of the signature ice cream flavors coated with a plant-based chocolate shell. Fans in Los Angeles, St. Louis, and New York City will be able to find free vegan desserts to celebrate the National Ice Cream Day Tour.

“At Oatly, we believe a global shift to a more plant-based food system is vital for the survival of our planet, so we couldn’t help but make sure Angelenos, New Yorkers, and St. Louisians could celebrate this traditionally dairy-heavy holiday, 100 percent plant-based,” the brand said in a statement.

The National Ice Cream Day event aims to promote the sale of the company’s newest offering. Last November, the company unveiled the four vegan ice cream bars at over 3,000 retailers n the United States. Typically, the vegan treats are available in packs of three for $5.99 at select Target, Wegmans, Harris Teeter, Giant, Stop & Shop, Fresh Direct, and Schnucks locations nationwide.

Oatly’s Empire is More Than Just Coffee Creamer

Before New York City coffeehouses popularized Oatly, most coffee lovers preferred soy, almond, or coconut milk in their dairy-free morning beverages. Since 2017, Oatly’s impact on the plant-based milk market has changed how Americans think about dairy alternatives. Shortly after Starbucks released Oatly’s alternative milk nationwide, the major coffeehouse brand experienced a shortage due to unprecedented customer demand for alternative milk.

Over the last year, Oatly’s dairy-free developments range across several other food categories including ice cream. Last April, Oatly announced that it would partner with Wrigley Field (Home of the Cubs) in Chicago, IL, and Globe Life Field (Home of the Texas Rangers) in Arlington, TX to serve baseball fans fresh soft serve ice cream.

In June 2021, Oatly’s new oat milk soft serve made its way west when Gott’s Roadside added it to its menu in San Francisco. Now, Oatly’s soft-serve ice cream can be found nationwide due to multiple partnerships with brands including 16 Handles.

Oatly Seeks to Improve Stock Value

In May 2021, the major vegan brand officially opened on the public stock exchange following months of anticipation. Oatly’s shares opened at $22.12 per share and have since fallen to $3.82 per share as of July 12. Despite its widespread popularity, Oatly’s market value shows no signs of improvement, but the company’s Chief Executive Officer Toni Petersson stated that the falling stock value can be attributed to supply chain issues and trouble meeting demand.

“This is 100 percent on supply,” Petersson said during his May 25 presentation at the Cowen Future of the Consumer: Sustainable Growth for a New Ecosystem Conference. “The lack of supply has been a story for us for so many years because demand is absolutely massive. The truth is there is not one supplier in this country that could supply the demand for oat milk. The capacity doesn't exist.”

Responding to the worries about availability, the company recently launched a milk delivery service that will better cater to Oatly customers. Partnering with delivery services including DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates, and UberEats, consumers in Los Angeles and New York City will be able to get Oatly’s dairy-free milk brought directly to their doorsteps in under an hour.

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