It’s been a beloved brand in Japan for years. However, due to licensing issues, it’s slated to disappear from the local market. In reaction, some resellers are hoarding it – and selling it off at premium prices.
The creamy confectionary in question is the Viennetta ice cream cake. Produced by British multinational corporation Unilever, the cake was created by ice cream company Wall’s in 1982. The creators used an extrusion process with a variable-speed belt to create the concoction’s stylish, wave-like effect.
Today, Viennetta is sold worldwide. In Japan, it’s been sold since 1983 by Japanese sweets maker Morinaga.
However, in news that upset many fans of the ice cream, Morinaga announced a little over a week ago that it would stop selling it on March 31st. The company reports that its license for Viennetta has been terminated. It’s unclear why Morinaga, out of all world licensees, lost their license.
Two cakes for 7,000 yen?!
Fans expressed dismay that the beloved treat, which some used to celebrate birthdays, was going away. However, surveys showed that the brand didn’t have a lot of awareness in the Japanese market. According to FNN Prime Online, a 2023 survey of 10,000 people showed that only 4% of people ages 15 to 25 recognized the brand. Only 10% of people in their 40s said they knew of it.
However, the dessert has its diehard fans – and they’re clearing out the cake wherever they can find it.
Since it’s frozen, that makes it easy to buy and stockpile. This has led to a shortage on store shelves. One person told FNN they went to eight stores before finding one.
Of course, Japan’s notorious resellers – who have made lives miserable for fans of Hello Kitty, My Melody, and other favorites – have gotten into the act. FNN reported finding two Viennettas on sale on a resale site for 7,000 yen (USD $46). The ice cream typically retails for around 500 yen ($32.9). (It’s unclear how the seller intends to ship these.) The story even reports that some resellers are trying to sell nothing but the box.
The ridiculousness of people hawking ice cream online has some in the Yahoo! News JP comments calling for restrictions on reselling. Meanwhile, Viennetta fans are hoping that someone can pick up the Japanese license so that they can enjoy their favorite ice cream cake well into the future.
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