Rita's Italian Ice Debuts New Frozen Cold Brew, But Only For A Limited Time

Nearly four decades ago, the first Rita's opened in Pennsylvania, serving Italian ices made with real fruit. Since then, the brand built on spreading happiness via frozen treats and an upbeat ambiance has expanded to more than 550 locations across the United States. The chain has also added plenty of other options to the menu, including custard, shakes, and custard cakes. Now, the shop known for its annual spring kickoff (with free Italian ice) is infusing more energy into the season with a limited-time line of frozen coffee drinks.

A mix of vanilla ice, custard, and coffee, the decadent frozen brews are available in three flavors: original cold brew, mocha, and caramel. With the new offerings, Rita's hopes to build a stronger following among millennial and Gen-Z customers.

"We're happy to introduce Cold Brew Frozen Coffees to capitalize on growing coffee trends," Linda Chadwick, Rita's CEO, said in a statement.

In 2022, Rita's debuted its frozen cold brews at a limited amount of its U.S. locations, according to an April 17 press release. After garnering resoundingly positive feedback, the purveyor of sweet frozen treats decided to roll out the beverages in all of its shops, which was good news for fans looking to put some pep in their steps with frozen, caffeinated treats.

The new cold brews became available on April 17 at locations throughout the United States. To promote the new drinks, the shop is offering a free small frozen coffee to its app users.

"We're focused on growing our beverage line to meet growing consumer demand for all-day refreshment and on-the-go portability," Brianne Barket, Rita's director of product development and quality assurance, said in a statement. There's no word on how long the coffees will be available at Rita's locations nationwide.