Why Can’t You Buy Dippin’ Dots in Grocery Stores?

Since Dippin’ Dots hit the scene in 1988, the unusual ice cream has become a staple in theme parks, malls, and movie theaters. One place you won’t find the futuristic treat (besides space) is at your local grocery store. This isn’t because it lacks a consumer base—most supermarkets just aren’t equipped to store it at such extreme temperatures, Thrillist reports.

The iconic beads of freeze-dried ice cream in every cup of Dippin’ Dots are cryogenically frozen at -320°F. Once the dots are formed, they need to be kept at -40°F in order to maintain their individual shapes. Most standard freezers don’t reach lower than 0°F. At that temperature, the ice cream spheres start to clump together, losing their novelty factor.

Even if a supermarket did have a super-cold freezer that measured up to Dippin’ Dots's standards, most of their customers probably would not. That’s why Dippin’ Dots are designed to be eaten as soon as they’re purchased—unless, of course, you’re willing to shell out the money for dry ice when you order in bulk.

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