Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is diving into summer with a glittery new flavor: Mermaid Italian Ice, now scooping at all 600 locations nationwide, writes Hira Qureshi for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Mermaid Italian Ice swirls together berry and marshmallow flavors into a vivid pink treat finished with a dusting of edible glitter. The limited-edition flavor splashed onto menus June 15, and is slated to stay through July 19.

The launch carries extra weight in Bucks County, where Rita’s got its start. What began as a single water ice stand in Bensalem has since grown into a coast-to-coast brand, though the company has kept close ties to its Philadelphia-area roots.

Rita’s fans can enjoy the new flavor in several ways. The Mermaid Gelati layers the new ice with vanilla frozen custard and a glitter topping, while the Mermaid Ice Blender whips the berry-marshmallow flavor into a frozen drink with a sparkling finish.

About the new flavor, Rita’s senior vice president of Marketing Insights and Innovation Carmela Hughley said, “At Rita’s, we’re always looking for ways to create joyful experiences that bring families together, and Mermaid Italian Ice does exactly that.”

Mermaid Italian Ice joins Rita’s regular lineup of Italian ice, frozen custard, gelati, concretes, frozen coffee, Blendinis, and milkshakes, but won’t stick around long; the flavor disappears from menus after about a month, making it a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it summer treat.

Learn more about Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard and the beloved water ice chain’s new Mermaid Italian Ice in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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