• by Teresa Buyikian , July 31, 2023

What was once “Shark Week” on cable more than a decade ago has pretty much evolved into “Shark Summer.” Not only is cable airing more shark-infested programing than ever, but with June’s film “Black Demon” and the upcoming release of “New Meg 2” (new megalodon shark) Aug.4, the underwater predator is more popular than ever.

Capitalizing on the aquatic trend, Golden Corral restaurants nationwide have introduced a Shark Bait ICEE dessert, as well as a MinuteMaid ‘Shark Bait’ Lemonade, both available now through Sept. 3.

The ICEE Shark Bait desert contains Fanta Blue Raspberry ICEE, topped with vanilla soft serve ice cream, gummy sharks, and a strawberry sauce. The Shark Bait Lemonade features a mix of Minute Maid Blue Raspberry Lemonade and gummy sharks. The Shark Bait ICEE is one of six new flavors recently released under the "I See" Animals product line that launched earlier this year.

Golden Corral, the Raleigh, North Carolina-headquartered grill-buffet restaurant chain that operates almost 400 locations across the U.S., ended 2022 with 14% same-store sales growth over 2019. Founded in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1973, the family-friendly chain’s buffet offers over 150 items.

The chain recently hired Dawn Gillis as its new chief information officer to lead the company's digital growth strategy. Gillis most recently served as (CTO) for Tavistock Freebirds, LLC., parent company of Freebirds World Burrito.

The flavored frozen beverage ICEE, a subsidiary of Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based J&J Snack Foods Corp., was created in 1967 and helped establish the frozen beverage category.