No matter your views, the Colin Kaepernick saga may have left a bitter taste in the mouths of many. Now Ben & Jerry’s is trying to do a little something about that.
The former 49ers quarterback and social justice advocate will soon join the ranks of celebrities honored with their own flavor by the ice cream company.
The appropriately named “Change the Whirled” is a non-dairy frozen dessert that’s vegan — just like Kaepernick. The treat features a caramel sunflower butter base, and includes both graham cracker and chocolate cookie swirls with fudge chips.
Kaepernick’s flavor follows in the footsteps of other unique flavors inspired by Jerry Garcia (“Cherry Garcia”), Steven Colbert (“AmeriCone Dream”) and Jimmy Fallon (“The Tonight Dough”) and will make its debut in stores across the country early in 2021.
Kaepernick, who’s had a much more difficult time finding a team in the NFL since leaving the 49ers in 2016, was thrilled to be forming a partnership with Ben & Jerry’s.
Kaepernick said he is happy “to serve up joy on the journey to justice!” and that all of his proceeds from his frozen dessert will be donated to his Know Your Rights Camp foundation.
I’ve teamed up with @BenAndJerrys to serve up joy on the journey to justice!
Today, we're excited to introduce Change the Whirled, a new non-dairy flavor that hits shelves in early-2021!
100% of my proceeds will go to @yourrightscamp with matching support from Ben & Jerry's pic.twitter.com/OouYwUXPXK
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) December 10, 2020
“I’m honored to partner with Ben & Jerry’s on Change the Whirled,” Kaepernick said in a statement. “Their commitment to challenging the anti-Black roots of policing in the United States demonstrates a material concern for the well-being of Black and Brown communities. My hope is that this partnership will amplify calls to defund and abolish the police and to invest in futures that can make us safer, healthier, and truly free.”
After helping lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2013, Kaepernick’s fortunes never came close to those heights again. He faced a strong backlash from many corners after he began kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem in protest of racial and social inequality.
Although NFL commissioner Roger Goodell finally encouraged teams to consider signing Kaepernick earlier this year, there’s still been no offer made to the man who passed for more than 12,000 yards and 72 touchdowns in his six-year 49ers career.
