The News
Graeter's Ice Cream, a family-owned ice cream maker, has launched a limited-edition Backstretch Bourbon Cherry flavor for the Kentucky Derby. The product was developed in partnership with Churchill Downs and is available starting April 13 for nationwide shipping and at Graeter's scoop shops. Pints will be available at select grocery stores beginning April 15.
This week, Graeter’s has launched its limited‑edition Backstretch Bourbon Cherry ice cream in partnership with Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby. The move comes amid a U.S. premium‑ice‑cream market worth $6.8 billion in 2023 and growing at 4.2% CAGR.
The Backstretch Bourbon Cherry launch is more about risk than novelty, targeting both the seasonal premium‑ice‑cream niche and the high‑visibility platform of the Kentucky Derby. Operators familiar with thin margins on small‑batch artisanal goods will find this partnership a chance to tap consumer excitement while maintaining tight distribution.
Graeter’s will ship the new flavor nationwide via its website and sell it in all its scoop shops plus a handful of grocery stores—Kroger, Dorothy Lane Markets, Jungle Jim’s, Central Market—starting 15 April. A six‑pint pack can be sold to venues or used as a “winner’s circle” item on high‑end cocktail menus. The flavor is licensed by Churchill Downs and will appear at the Derby gate on 2 May, with samples offered in suites and dining areas.
The market context explains why this launch goes beyond a typical limited‑edition effort. Recent research shows the U.S. premium ice‑cream segment was $6.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at 4.2% CAGR through 2030, indicating demand for high‑margin, high‑quality desserts—what Graeter’s delivers with its French‑pot process. The same study notes that only 12 percent of limited‑edition ice creams stay in distribution beyond six months, underscoring the need to move quickly.
A growing category paired with a short shelf life means operators must keep inventory tight and marketing focused. Because the flavor is available only through a few grocery chains and Graeter’s scoop shops, there is little room for overstock or large‑volume sales. Operators should treat it as a premium, short‑run item and position it at a higher price point in high‑traffic venues—especially those that host cocktail events or attract an artisanal‑goods audience.
Non‑affiliated distributors will not gain an immediate wholesale channel from this launch. The partnership is limited to Graeter’s retail and online footprint, and no other distributor has exclusive rights. Therefore, the best approach for these wholesalers is to monitor performance at the limited outlets and assess whether a similar model could be applied with another small‑batch partner whose distribution strategy aligns.
Bars and restaurants that carry Graeter’s scoop shops—or partner with the brand—should position Backstretch Bourbon Cherry as an event‑specific, high‑margin item. Use its Derby connection by crafting a themed cocktail—a bourbon‑based mix echoing the ice cream’s flavor—and promote it via in‑house channels and social media. The sweepstakes offering a 12‑month subscription can serve as a marketing hook: announce the contest on the bar’s website, collect emails, and link entries to a purchase of the six‑pint pack or an online order.
Because only 12 percent of limited‑edition launches survive beyond six months, operators should plan for rapid turnover. A short shelf life is part of what makes these products desirable. The segment’s 4.2 % CAGR shows the premium market remains robust and continues to attract new consumers. Operators can justify investing in marketing for this flavor while accepting its fleeting shelf presence.
Graeter’s collaboration with Churchill Downs is a calculated move to harness excitement around a marquee sporting event within a niche high‑margin product category. For those already selling artisanal goods, it offers a short‑run premium opportunity; for others without an existing partnership, it underscores the importance of aligning distribution strategy with channel control rather than chasing broader market access that may not be available.
Original Press Release
The race to the most indulgent scoop of ice cream of the season has begun. Graeter's Ice Cream, America's oldest family-owned and operated ice cream maker famous for its French Pot® process, is releasing a new limited-edition flavor for Derby season: Backstretch Bourbon Cherry.
In a collaboration worthy of the Winner's Circle, Graeter's and Churchill Downs have teamed up to create a bourbon-kissed ice cream blended with black cherries and pralines, intentionally crafted to capture the thrill, tradition and pageantry of the race. This decadent flavor is an officially licensed ice cream of the Kentucky Derby®.
"We've long believed a collaboration between Graeter's and Churchill Downs was a natural fit," said Richard Graeter, fourth-generation president and CEO of Graeter's Ice Cream. "When the Churchill Downs team visited Cincinnati late last year, they experienced our factory tour and tasted ice cream straight from our French Pots – and we introduced them to what is now Backstretch Bourbon Cherry. The flavor and name were developed by Graeter's with their input, and Churchill Downs approved it on the very first bite. From that moment, we knew we had a winning flavor."
Backstretch Bourbon Cherry is available starting today, April 13, for nationwide shipping at Graeters.com, as well as by the pint and by the scoop at all Graeter's scoop shops. Pints of Backstretch Bourbon Cherry can also be found starting April 15 at select grocery stores including Kroger in Ohio, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Dorothy Lane Markets, Jungle Jim's and Central Market in Texas.
Graeter's "Off to the Races" CollectionTo help fans celebrate the race weekend properly at home or with friends, Graeter's is offering three ice cream pack options in its Off to the Races Collection for purchase online:
The Backstretch Six-Pint Pack: Two pints of Backstretch Bourbon Cherry, one pint each of Madagascar Vanilla, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Salted Caramel
The Winner's Circle Six-Pint Pack ft. Kern's Kitchen Derby Pie: This bundle features two pints of Bourbon Ball, one pint each of Madagascar Vanilla, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Salted Caramel, plus one of the iconic Kern's Derby Pies – the official pie of the Kentucky Derby Festival
The Trifecta Chip Wheelies Pack: Graeter's signature ice cream sandwiches offered in three different flavors – four of Backstretch Bourbon Cherry (sandwiched between two handmade sugar cookies), and four of Vanilla Chocolate Chip and Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip (both between two handmade chocolate chip cookies)
Graeter's Backstretch Bourbon Giveaway: Win Free Ice Cream for a YearGraeter's is taking Derby celebrations to a whole new level by giving fans the opportunity to win free ice cream for a year, no purchase necessary. One lucky winner will receive a free Create-Your-Own Six-Pint Pack every month for 12 months beginning May 2026 through April 2027. Five runners-up will receive a free Create-Your-Own Six-Pint Pack.
How to Enter: Today through 11:59 p.m. ET on Derby Day, May 2, 2026, ice cream lovers across the country can enter for a chance to win free Graeter's ice cream for a year by simply submitting their name, contact information and birthday at Graeters.com/Derby. One (1) winner and five (5) runners-up will be selected at random.
The Graeter's Backstretch Bourbon Giveaway is open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous US & DC, 18 & older. For Official Rules, visit Graeters.com/Derby.
Graeter's Ice Cream at Oaks and Kentucky DerbyOn May 1-2, 2026, the Graeter's Ice Cream Truck will be making its official Kentucky Derby debut, offering ticketed guests the chance to sample indulgent flavors including Backstretch Bourbon Cherry and Graeter's signature Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, in addition to other Graeter's staples. The truck will be stationed at the Clubhouse Gate entrance and is open to all guests attending Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby.
Churchill Downs will also be serving Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip ice cream and Backstretch Bourbon Cherry scoops in select suites and dining areas.
About Graeter'sSince 1870, five generations of the Graeter family have remained committed to handcrafting only the most indulgent ice cream available. From humble beginnings serving ice cream from a cart in Cincinnati to the nationwide presence of Graeter's Ice Cream today, the family has stayed true to the traditional "French Pot" method and is the only company in the world that still makes ice cream at scale this way. Graeter's has 50+ retail stores and ships more than 300,000 pints annually. The brand can also be found in more than 3,000 grocery stores across the United States.
About Churchill Downs RacetrackChurchill Downs Racetrack ("CDRT"), the world's most legendary racetrack, has been the home of the Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September and Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility. www.ChurchillDowns.com.
About Kentucky DerbyThe $5 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds is the longest continually held major sporting event in the United States and the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown series. Also known as "The Run for the Roses®" and "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports®," the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horse race in the nation. The 152nd Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026. For more information, please visit www.KentuckyDerby.com.
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Source: PR Newswire