The Atlas Obscura Podcast Flavor Graveyard (Classic)
Feb 6, 2026
Sarah Fiddler, Ben & Jerry's flavor development chef who invents and tests ice cream ideas. She describes the quirky Flavor Graveyard behind the factory. Short tales cover how flavors are retired, tombstone poems and devoted fans. Hear why supply, factory limits and love shape which scoops live on.
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Real Graveyard For Dead Flavors
- Ben & Jerry's created a real graveyard behind their Vermont factory to memorialize discontinued flavors.
- The physical site opened in 1997 and features tombstones and a picket fence for fans to visit.
Flavor Success Is Multi-Factorial
- Flavor success balances social, economic, and product factors according to Sarah Fiddler.
- Even well-liked flavors can be cut due to sourcing, factory limits, or limited shelf space.
A Guru's Lost Favorite
- Sarah Fiddler recounted developing Sweet Like Sugar and fighting to keep it despite low mainstream appeal.
- The flavor featured a sugar-cookie core with almond and cherry sides but was discontinued for being too nuanced.