It's definitely weird that they're not getting enough chocolate, in light of the fact that it's one of the most popular ice cream flavors (number two after vanilla, I think). I don't eat ice cream all that often, but when I do I'm like Amy in that it has to be really good. Life is too short to waste time on mediocre dessert, especially when it comes to chocolate.

I've tried many of the Ben & Jerry's flavors and liked most of them, but my favorites of theirs are the simplest. Number one favorite is Peanut Butter Cup, hands down. Peanut Butter ice cream with peanut butter cups in it. Yum. I also like a recent discovery-- Cinnamon Buns. Tastes just like the real thing.

But not much beats a really good chocolate ice cream. Like really, really good chocolate ice cream that's super creamy and not at all icy. Except maybe the pineapple ice cream I had at the Dole Plantation. Totally worth the long flight just for that.

Anyway, back to the original question. Unless there's been some sort of mad rush on chocolate ice cream lately, I think the vendors need to step it up on the basic flavors. Maybe they're just trying to push the trendy flavors that people claim to like when they really want vanilla or chocolate.

This is a longer post than I imagined it would be, but I get like this when discussing desserts. Food Network has that show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," and one of the chefs' favorite chocolate items was a sundae that was fresh-made chocolate gelato with really good quality olive oil drizzled on it, topped with some sea salt and whipped cream. I really want to try that sometime. Deep chocolate with fruity olive oil, a bit of salt, and some whipped cream just sounds weirdly yummy.

I love salty and sweet together, too.

Btw, I thought I'd give you an update Amy. I got the '30-day Low Carb Solution' and started two months ago, and have lost 11 pounds. Thank you!

I just watched a presentation on starting a business and here are some thoughts I have off the top of my head.

The ice cream is made in batches. One batch may often times sell out, but two in the same time frame leaves too much of the second batch to be profitable. That reminds of a little hole in the wall that used to make these great little treats. It was a bread like thing that was made in a batch and raised. One batch a day. Probably 50% of the time I was in there they were sold out.

Most people who come into the shop will probably end up buying something even if their first choice is not available. So not having chocolate may help sell the other flavors which the shop owner already has money invested in. A balancing out of demand so to speak.

I know our company studies what brand is sold most in each location and then forecasts sales based on those trends. It's quite possible chocolate doesn't sell well in your area so they stock the popular flavors more often.

There's only so much shelf space. If you have 6 kinds of vanilla, that's 5 competing products that aren't in the running. If your brand is all that's there, customers primed to buy icecream will likely enough buy your vanilla, even if they really wanted chocolate. At least, judging from what I observe, that's how the numbers play out.

But there's NO excuse for the vending machines that are always out of X. For heaven's sake, how hard is it to notice and add another slot of X?

--
phunctor

TFB brings up a good point. Aside from that, and more in general, some managers are incompetent at ordering. Retailers are most profitable when they keep JUST ENOUGH of the products they're selling. Too much and you have excessive $ sunk into inventory, too little and you lose sales. If space is an issue (when isn't it?), then too much of one thing means too little of another. There's software for inventory management, and some suppliers (the company I work for) try to predict what needs to be ordered and make recommendations, but sales variations and limited $ or space can cause shortages. Another possibility is the suppler being out or miss-selecting the product.

Have you ever tried the Dreyer's/Edy's Grand Chocolate ice cream? You'll find it at or near the top of many chocolate ice cream reviews and it is relatively inexpensive.

As a fellow low-carber, when I need a chocolate fix I get the Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa Extra Dark chocolate bar. While I realize that it's not ice cream, it only has 1 carb per square (at least 75% fewer carbs than any other chocolate bar) and it doesn't contain any of that sugar alcohol crap.

I'm sure you must have heard of this before, but just in case... Bacon and Chocolate!

http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/category/bacon_and_chocolate

There's a chocolate ice cream shortage? I blame Bush.

One chocolate ice cream I've really been enjoying lately (in sensibly-sized portions, of course :-))is Ben & Jerry's Flourless Chocolate Cake. With my gluten issues, I checked the ingredients and saw no flour or other gluten listed. It's super rich and deliciously chocolatey! Yeah, there's bits of actual flourless chocolate cake swirled in it, but not so much as to be obnoxious. Anyway, Amy, I hope you'll soon be able to stock up on the particular chocolate flavor you like!

Hmmm...I haven't had decent chocolate gelato since I was in San Francisco a few years ago. I could understand your frustration at not being able to find it. 31 Flavors sometimes carries a dark chocolate that is excellent, though certainly not on par with gelato. But it's good.

Three words: Ice Cream Maker! The home made stuff can't be beat. I actually have a very old, hand cranked maker that makes up to a quart at a time, but I usually just make a pint. Can't tell you about electric ones but I'm sure Amazon sells them and has reviews.

I like to melt two Andes chocolate mints over a bowl of vanilla

Bwah! I forgot about the not cooking thing, Amy! It's actually just pouring stuff in and cranking (and for a pint it's about 15 minutes of cranking unless you're outdoors in the sun). I don't know about your local gelato store but ours will take orders. You call the day before and they'll have a pint of whatever held for you the next day--could be because it's a small town, though.

If I don't get the chocolate fix from the ice cream available, I go to the next best thing: BUTTER PECAN

Breyer's Carbsmart comes in chocolate.

We made ice cream at home when I was a kid and I wasn't impressed. It tended to be grainy.

William,
I have never made ice cream at home, so when you say it was 'grainy,' what kind of grains are we talking about?
As for my chocolate stuff, I used to buy Breyers & H-D, but then they got out the grocery shrink ray so no more of their stuff (yeah, I cut off my nose to spite my face). I used to, though, get the H-D rum raisen and scoop out a little then pour Khalua in it and finish the pint with scoop, pour, eat, repeat until empty. And there chocolate-chocolate was very good.
Nowadays, I buy Ben & Jerry's stuff since they are still real pints. Granted, due to my unemployed status, I haven't bought the stuff in over a year. But once I'm working full-time again, I'll be sure to add them to my celebration party.

Amy, it may be that you, too, are afflicted with (a milder version of) the Ice Cream Curse!

I loved Baskin-Robbins' chocolate raspberry truffle; they discontinued it. Then I chose my new favourite as K&B brand (a local drugstore) Creole cream cheese. K&B was bought out by Rite Aid and disappeared, as did all of their marvelous K&B brand items, ice cream included. Next, I discovered and adored Ben and Jerry's Rainforest Crunch. I'm sure you can guess where to find that flavour now. (Answer: nowhere!)

I am now afraid to like any other ice cream, ever, because that will surely be the taste's death knell. Beware of hoping for more chocolate stocked at the store, for the Ice Cream Curse could be upon you... :P

Seriously, I hope the ice cream situation improves!