Gifford's Ice Cream To Celebrate Opening Day On March 18th With Free Cones At Maine Ice Cream Stands

Gifford's Ice Cream (www.giffordsicecream.com) will soon kick off its 31st Anniversary season with what has become one of its most popular annual traditions: free ice cream cones at its five Maine ice cream stands on opening day. From 6 - 8 p.m. on Friday, March 18th, all five Gifford's stands will be giving away free, 2-scoop ice cream cones to usher in the 2011 season. The Gifford's Ice Cream opening day giveaway, introduced a decade ago, is expected to draw very enthusiastic lines of Mainers eager to celebrate the arrival of spring.

According to Carol Goldsmith, a Gifford's Ice Cream veteran of 24 years who serves as operations manager of the family-owned company's stands, Gifford's expects on opening day to give away at least 3,000 cones, or 1,500 pounds of its premium ice cream.

More than 50 Gifford's flavors will be available for customers at stands, including several new flavors launched for the 2011 season, according to Lindsay Gifford-Skilling, vice president of sales and marketing.

"One of our new flavors is 'Butterscotch Vanilla' which has a rich, butterscotch ribbon running through our Vanilla Bean ice cream," said Gifford-Skilling. Also new on the ice cream menu, she added, will be "Cherry Amaretto Chip," amaretto ice cream with Bordeaux cherries and chocolate flakes. And in a nod to Gifford's younger fans this season, another new flavor bound to be a big hit is Gifford's "Disappearing Bubble Gum," featuring magically melting pieces of pink bubblegum and colored candies scattered through vanilla ice cream swirled with a blue marshmallow fluff ribbon.

Four Gifford's stands will open for the 2011 season on March 18th at noon (Auburn, Bangor, Waterville and Skowhegan), while the Farmington stand will open at 11 a.m. that day.

"Opening day at our Gifford's stands each spring has genuinely become one of our favorite days of the entire year," Gifford-Skilling added. "You can't imagine how rewarding it is to see those long lines full of friendly Mainers just waiting for their first taste of the season! We are so lucky to have such loyal fans, and this year will surely prove no exception."


About Gifford's Ice Cream (www.giffordsicecream.com):
Gifford's Ice Cream sources its fresh cream and milk exclusively from independent family farms in Maine, and relies on antique 1940s Cherry Burrell freezers coupled with a state-of-the-art freezing system to achieve its award-winning, creamy texture and fresh-churned consistency. The multi-generation, family-owned company uses only the finest ingredients, from nuts, berries, and fresh fruits to premium chocolate, imported vanilla extract and pure, all-natural Maine maple syrup. Gifford's has earned numerous international and national "First Place" and "World's Best" awards for its premium ice cream and sherbet and continues to expand its distribution and offerings.

Available throughout northern New England at Hannaford locations, Shaw's Supermarkets, and Roche Bros. locations, Gifford's Ice Cream also is offered in several hundred ice cream stands throughout New England, New York and New Jersey, and is served at a growing number of high-profile account locations, including Rutgers University, The BALSAMS Grand Resort Hotel in New Hampshire, and the University of Connecticut.

For further information, visit www.giffordsicecream.com.

To request photos, or to schedule an interview with Lindsay Gifford-Skilling, Gifford's Ice Cream VP of Sales, contact Jen Beltz at Ph: 207.699.5502 or jen@frontburnerpr.com.


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