In honour of its trailblazing co-founder, Rose Mattus, Häagen-Dazs introduces “The Rose Project,” a global effort with a $100,000 bursary to encourage women who Don’t Hold Back.
Ice cream was created by Reuben Mattus, but Haagen-Dazs was made by Rose Mattus. Häagen-Dazs is thrilled to be honouring its trailblazing female founder on this International Women’s Day in support of the theme, Embrace Equality, with a global push to highlight her unheralded contributions to the brand and her #DontHoldBack ethos.
Today, March 8, Häagen-Dazs, a globally renowned brand with more than 800 stores spread across more than 40 nations, is launching its Largest Free Scoop Giveaway, a ground-breaking worldwide shop effort. As Rose has loved our iconic original flavour since 1960, Häagen-Dazs Vanilla ice cream will now be known as the “Founder’s Favourite.”
The ‘Founder’s Favourite’ will be offered as a Free Scoop to consumers to mark International Women’s Day in over 100 selected Häagen-Dazs Shops across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. In Dubai, enjoy a free scoop at participating shops in Circle Mall, Dubai Hills, Dubai Mall, Kite Beach, Mall of the Emirates and Silicon Central.
A global rebrand honouring Rose’s contribution will see ‘Rose Mättus – Woman Founded Business Established 1960’ accompanying the iconic Häagen-Dazs logo across multiple touch points in Shops and on digital and social platforms.
The campaign marks the launch of ‘The Rose Project’ an initiative honouring Rose’s legacy, which pledges $100,000 in bursaries to support trailblazing women around the world who Don’t Hold Back. People around the world will have the opportunity to nominate themselves or other unsung women who deserve recognition for their trailblazing efforts, achievements and societal contributions.
From these nominations, a shortlist of 50 ‘WOMEN WHO DON’T HOLD BACK’ will be selected for their commendable efforts and put forward for the opportunity to win one of five monetary grants of $20,000 each. The bursary fund will enable these five Rose Project Honourees to continue their exceptional work and unleash their potential or even give to a cause they’re passionate about.
Aurélie Lory, Franchise Managing Director at Häagen-Dazs Shops, said: “In 2021, we launched our Women Who Don’t Hold Back campaign shining a light on female trailblazers around the globe, but now it’s time to recognise our own remarkable female founder. Reuben Mattus made our flavours but Rose Mattus made us famous! By telling Rose’s untold story as a marketing pioneer who built our brand as a true partner to her inventor husband and helped create our Shops business with her daughter Doris, we hope to use this year’s IWD celebration as a beacon for #EmbraceEquity. Furthermore, Rose’s beloved Vanilla flavour will be celebrated in Shops around the world with our biggest global ice cream scoop giveaway so that everyone can enjoy our iconic ‘Founder’s Favourite’.
”We hope that Rose Mattus’ story inspires talented and often unsung women to share their own and also put others forward for the grants. The launch of The Rose Project directly puts our purpose to action with the long-term commitment to supporting women and gender equity going well beyond International Women’s Day.”
Nominations for The Rose Project are now open and can be submitted via this link.
A limited-edition run of 1960 Häagen-Dazs ‘Founder’s Favourite’ Vanilla take-home pints has been created with a commemorative Rose Mattus design. The pints will be available in all celebrating Shops around the world across the month of March.