The New "Juneteenth" Ice Cream At Walmart Churns Up Controversy

Next month, the Black community as a whole will join in the annual celebration of Juneteenth to signify the ending of slavery in America. As expected, many brands have already began rolling out marketing plans to join in the glorious commemoration. However, it was a special ice cream flavor being promoted by Walmart recently that had many people across social media up in arms over the audacity.   LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE. As viral sensation @KevOnStage put it in a hilarious TikTok video (seen above), the commercialization of Juneteenth was bound to happen after it officially became a federal holiday last year. Still, it comes off as pretty bold for Walmart to release the racially-motivated ice cream flavor under its popularly affordable brand, Great Value. What’s even more shocking is that many believe the red velvet-inspired flavor was actually stolen from a Black-owned brand available at Target called Creamalicious.

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Kev went a bit further in his now-viral TikTok video to prove that it’s not just ice cream getting the Juneteenth treatment. From party supplies and wine bottle designs to T-shirts conveniently marked down with reduced pricing, it appears that everyone’s favorite supercenter went a bit overboard in their attempt to be down with the culture. One Twitter user even accused Walmart of trying to “bastardize” Juneteenth with its use of Pan African and Ethiopian flag colors in the packaging designs. More on that later. STAY INFORMED! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!

While we’re sure Walmart had the best of intentions in its approach, there will always be topics that unfortunately are viewed as tone deaf when it hits the corporate level — Black culture is without a doubt one of them. Take a look below at a few people that agree:

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1. No because the fact that Walmart tried to trademark Juneteenth is the final nail in the coffin for companies using celebrations of certain groups as a marketing scheme

https://twitter.com/Baphisium/status/1528853557197565952

via @Baphisium

2. not walmart made a juneteenth ice cream and it’s not even butter pecan

via @KiianDawn

3. cant believe walmart is selling kools flavored ice cream for juneteenth smh

via @brokeymcpoverty

4. ok if you see some wild Juneteenth merch from a business you know isn't Black-owned—like the Walmart ice cream—please send it to me. working on something about that.

via @juliacraven

5. Hey @Walmart why do you have a "Congrats Officers" banner on your #Juneteenth Party page and advertised as decor for a day that celebrates black Americans' freedom? Seems very intentional. Reminder that these companies are performative as hell and just want to profit off of us.

via @bookersquared1

6. Juneteenth has been a federally recognized holiday for less than 5 years and Walmart has found a way to cheapen it. I am not looking forward to how America, where white people fight to keep their kids ignorant about America’s racist past and present, will celebrate this holiday.

https://twitter.com/bruinlover09/status/1528429506473512960

via @bruinlover09

7. I knew when they’d declare Juneteenth as a holiday it was just a bone being thrown at Black ppl in typical gaslighting fashion. Walmart’s new action to trademark a Black American moment of historical significance is the epitome of white supremacy in action.

via @EktaShahMD

8. Capitalism is a retail conglomerate, owned by a white billionaire family, marketing an ice cream to celebrate a holiday that commemorates the emancipation of slaves in a country that was literally built on the backs on slaves. See: Walmart’s Juneteenth ice cream.

via @darafaye

9. Walmart literally saw a successful small Black business and thought they could get away with stealing their flavor and re-branding it for Juneteenth. Anyways, Creamalicious is available at Target.

via @Amberisms_

10. They’re trying to bastardize the meaning of Juneteenth with Pan African & Ethiopian flag colors, exploiting Native Black Americans history by trying to capitalize financially off of our ancestors fight! Look at what Walmart and other corporations are doing. #Juneteenth

https://twitter.com/BallotNBullet/status/1528392648532312065

via @BallotNBullet