Elly De La Cruz is getting his own ice cream flavor, and it will hit United Dairy Farmers stores on Monday, May 18. The Cincinnati Reds star is teaming with UDF on “Dulce De La Cruz,” a limited-time Homemade Brand flavor built around rich caramel ice cream with swirls of caramel sauce.
The collaboration is aimed squarely at summer. UDF said it is also releasing the “#44 Shake,” a nod to De La Cruz’s jersey number, made with Dulce De La Cruz ice cream, toasted coconut and more caramel sauce. Michael Ahmed said the partnership is setting up an “unforgettable summer,” and De La Cruz said he was excited to bring one of his favorite flavors to fans and share something he loves with the city that supports him every day.
For UDF, the rollout is more than a seasonal treat. The company said the partnership will include several other deals and treats throughout the year, with the ice cream available for a limited time once it debuts. The company also is sponsoring De La Cruz’s Club 44, his program that works with local community organizations to improve the lives of youth through the Cincinnati Reds and baseball.
That community tie gives the promotion a second life beyond the freezer case. Club 44 allows local families to experience batting practice and meet Reds players, folding a familiar ballpark moment into a business arrangement built around one of the team’s most marketable young stars. De La Cruz, 24, has become central to the Reds’ identity, and the deal turns that visibility into a summer campaign aimed at fans who already know his number and now will know his flavor.
The question for UDF and La Cocoa is not whether the name will get attention; it already has. The real test is how far the promotion travels once the first tubs leave the store on May 18, and whether the tie-in with Club 44 makes the campaign feel like a Cincinnati summer staple rather than a one-off souvenir.
