This week, Ben & Jerry’s introduced three new cookie-themed ice cream flavors. That’s always welcome news, because the world needs more ice cream pints with cookie cores. In much of the country, though, it’s really not ice cream weather. In some places, the weather is more suitable for leaving a pint of ice cream in your car. Why introduce new flavors now?

There are a few reasons, and they actually make sense, Bloomberg Businessweek’s Venessa Wong explains:

Consumers need to get familiar with new flavors. By the time peak ice cream season hits after Memorial Day, people will know what a Spectacular Speculoos Cookie Core tastes like, and that they want one very badly.

Stores need to stock up. Dropping new flavors a few months ahead of summer gives retailers a chance to fill up their freezers with the new stuff.

To encourage us to buy ice cream. Novel flavors might catch customers’ eye on the freezer shelf, and get them to buy ice cream in the off-season.

Here’s a scary thought, though: Ben & Jerry’s normally introduces new flavors in February, but released this batch in January. Why? To beat other ice-cream makers and get attention for being first. It worked, apparently, but that sounds like Holiday Creep logic and we don’t like it.

Why Ben & Jerry’s Launches New Ice Cream Flavors in the Winter [Bloomberg Businessweek]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.