Walmart’s Juneteenth-Themed Ice Cream Ignites Outrage On Twitter

Jazmin Tolliver
·3 min read

Walmart is in hot water over its Juneteenth-themed ice cream.

The multinational retail corporation announced it would review and potentially pull its ice cream commemorating Juneteenth after the product was blasted on Twitter.

Social media users were outraged by the dessert, which consists of a swirl of red velvet and cheesecake flavors.

On Twitter, many shoppers condemned the company for appearing to profit off the important holiday, its history and Black people.

Walmart’s label on the ice cream, which has been widely shared across social media reads: “Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation and enduring hope.”

Comedian Roy Wood Jr.’s viral tweet about the controversial frozen treat criticized the absurdity of Juneteenth-themed branding. “Would you like some Juneteenth Ice cream on a Juneteenth plate as you sip your beer in a Juneteenth Koozie?” he tweeted.

Another user wrote, “How disrespectful and greedy. Always finding a way to exploit and line your pockets. @Walmart.”

Shoppers also called out the fact that Walmart appears to have allegedly ripped off a Black-owned ice cream product called Creamalicious as customers rapidly began dissecting the strong similarities between the items.

Juneteenth honors Black communities and commemorates the end of slavery in America.

Although the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved people, was issued in 1863, there was minimal enforcement in Texas, which meant enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, weren’t informed they were free until June 19, 1865.

Walmart apologized for the product in a statement.

“Juneteenth holiday marks a commemoration and celebration of freedom and independence,” the company wrote in a statement to HuffPost. “However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate.”

Juneteenth became an official government holiday last year after President Joe Biden signed a bill creating Juneteenth National Independence Day.

The move to solidify it as a federal holiday gained popularity following protests in response to George Floyd’s murder by a white police officer.

Keep reading to see more Twitter reactions over the disputed product.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.