Sorrow in Choco Taco town after summer treat is discontinued

This undated photo provided by Unilever shows the Choco Taco. Klondike has announced it's discontinuing the ice cream treat. A Klondike brand representative said in an emailed statement, Monday, July 25, 2022, that the Choco Taco has been discontinued in both its 1 count and 4 count sizes. (Claire Grummon/Unilever via AP)

(AP) — Choco Taco, a favored poolside cuisine for generations, will soon be no more after owner and ice cream maker Klondike decided to discontinue the summer treat.

“Over the past 2 years, we have experienced an unprecedented spike in demand across our portfolio and have had to make very tough decisions to ensure availability of our full portfolio nationwide,” said a Klondike representative in an email. “A necessary but unfortunate part of this process is that we sometimes must discontinue products, even a beloved item like Choco Taco.”

Klondike, which is owned by Unilever, continues to sell cones, shakes, and it’s signature Klondike bar nationwide.

The Choco Taco is a waffle cone shaped like a taco shell and filled with fudge-swirled ice cream that is then dipped in chocolate and peanuts.

The Choco Taco may not be found on many grocery store shelves, but it is a mainstay at community pools and ice cream trucks. Taco Bell sold the treat years ago and recently brought it back for a limited time and select locations.

The news of the Choco Taco’s demise sent some Twitter users into a meltdown and revisiting childhood summers.

Others hoped to find a way to prevent the Choco Taco from vanishing, including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

“Dear @Unilever – I’d like to buy the rights to your Choco Taco and keep it from melting away from future generations’ childhoods,” Ohanian tweeted.

It remains to be seen if the Choco Taco will become a distant memory, or if it will become a novelty treat, something akin to the McDonald’s McRib that still draws crowds when they make an occasional appearance.