Inside DeeBee’s Dip’ems Expansion
Eleven-year-old DeeBee’s has made a name for itself selling its core Freezie Pops product line, and now it’s looking to parlay its commitment to clean label, low-sugar treats into the snack set with the launch of Dip’ems, a fruit-forward take on a nostalgic candy brand.
DeeBee’s two lines of shelf-stable, freeze-at-home pops – SuperFruit and Gelato – are made with organic fruit juice and do not contain added sugars, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It is carrying those tenets with it as it expands beyond its flagship category for the first time.
“Something that has continued to be clear with us is the importance of organic,” said founder and CEO Dionne Laslo-Baker. “We feel strongly that DeeBee’s value proposition still holds true outside of the freezer pop space. We are continuing to look for ways to use fruit to create delicious snacks that kids and families love.”
Available in Strawberry Lemon, Raspberry Lime and Tropical flavors, Dip’ems contains a fruit stick made from apple purée concentrate and pectin that is intended to be dipped into organic freeze-dried fruit powder. The product is available direct-to-consumer as well as online at Amazon and Thrive Market for $11.99 per 6-pouch pack.
Dip’ems have been in development for the past two years, said Laslo-Baker. The idea for the innovation came from the company’s EVP of Innovation, Rebecca Julseth, who was keen on the idea of recreating the nostalgia of Fun Dip with an everyday treat for the modern consumer. Laslo-Baker explained that the primary challenge was creating an organic fruit powder, which naturally absorbs any moisture from the air, that could hold up over time.
“These days, parents are yearning to give kids the same joys of childhood that they had, but now they have knowledge about the impact of what they are feeding their kids,” said Laslo-Baker. “One of the most common pieces of feedback we are getting from our consumers is that they love the nostalgia attached to Dip’ems, but without the guilt. We already work with so many amazing organic farmers, and we saw the opportunity to leverage this into the fruit snacks category.”
Laslo-Baker said beyond consumer interest, retailers have also reacted positively to the launch: “At Expo last year, one buyer who we gave a sneak peak to shared that they felt that Dip’ems were ‘genius’ and one of the best innovations they have seen in years,” Laslo-Baker shared.
In addition to its online presence, Dip’ems will also roll out to five Whole Foods regions this year where it will sit on shelf in the natural grocer’s fruit snack set. DeeBee’s Freezie Pops line can be found at retailers nationwide including CVS, Fresh Thyme, Costco and more. Laslo-Baker said the company is eyeing a few additional key retail partners in 2025 to continue bolstering its omnichannel strategy.
While DeeBee’s may have been the first to attempt a better-for-you, fruit-forward version of Fun Dip, the launch comes amidst a wave of new better-for-you candy innovations including Issei, Rotten, Better Sour, Faves and more. The majority of these next-generation gummy or chewy products use similar formulations to Dip’ems fruit stick, a combination of fruit juices and pectin, but unlike DeeBee’s, many forgo an organic position.
“We know that in a time where the cost of living is increasing, brands look at ways to reduce their costs. While ensuring that products exceed USDA Organic guidelines has costs, we know it is something that is important to our consumers,” said Laslo-Baker. “This is a principle we will never stray from, both for the impact on our consumers but also those who grow and produce our ingredients.”
