Many of our favorite local ice cream shops close before the first frost, but the slush, snow, and Nor’easters don’t intimidate Wright’s Dairy Farm & Bakery. On the contrary, their North Smithfield creamery amps up production each January to make new and exclusive ice cream flavors for members of their Test Batch Club.
“Wright’s Test Batch Club is an exclusive interactive membership that gives ice cream fans the opportunity to contribute to our ever-evolving ice cream offerings,” explains Kelly Lemoine, director of sales and marketing at Wright’s. People who sign up to be club members receive exclusive access to small-batch flavors to taste-test and provide feedback via online surveys.
Some flavors will never make it from the Test Batch Club to the shelves, while others have gone on to be wildly popular, like Tractor Tracks – vanilla ice cream with caramel swirl, crushed peanut butter cups, and Oreo pieces – which was a flavor from the 2022 club that made it to the year-round menu. Coffee Oatmeal Cookie, Tiramisu, Oreo Cheesecake, Nutella, and Cannoli are flavors from previous years’ Test Batch Clubs that get rotated in seasonally.
Last year, the Test Batch Club devised a core flavor theme to channel their experimenting: Sweet as Pie. The top-ranking Tollhouse Pie incorporates chocolate-chip cookie ice cream with chocolate swirls. It was introduced to regular customers over the summer, and it will be packaged as a pint through the holiday season, according to founder and food operations manager Cathryn Kennedy. In second place was Grasshopper Pie: green mint ice cream with marshmallow fluff swirl and Oreo cookie pieces.
Ice cream is not always scream-worthy, regardless of the old adage. Some flavors the dairy farm takes a chance on are flops with the taste-testers, such as Honey Bourbon Pie (which this taster happened to love), Chocolate Pecan Pie, and Holiday Leftovers – widely panned. Other feedback from members included a limited diversity of flavors within the theme – all comments the production team takes to heart in order to grow and flex their creativity through trial and error.
As a 2024 Test Batch Club member, I can vouch for the notion that not every flavor has to be out of this world for it to be a treat. Beginning last January, I eagerly anticipated each week’s new pint, and when I encountered a favorite, hoped that other members would agree with my taste buds and also submit favorable surveys, so that I might be able to experience these flavors again from Wright’s Dairy’s coolers.
The official theme of 2025 is A Wicked Rhode Island Test Batch Club, which Kennedy anticipates will “provide inspiration, but also give us a ton of flexibility to come up with different types of flavors. It’s definitely challenged us creatively, which we enjoy.” Flavors will resemble or pull inspiration from notable places and businesses around the state, from the Big Blue Bug – which Kennedy assures will not have real bugs in it – to Blount Clam Chowder, which will emulate the appearance of this Ocean State delicacy rather than taste like it!
“As a born-and-raised Rhode Islander, I know there’s a lot of love for this tiny state,” says Kennedy. “What better way to celebrate RI than to feature ice cream flavors that embody it?”
Taking place across 12 weeks beginning in January 2025, A Wicked Rhode Island Test Batch Club invites members to pick up a pint of ice cream a week from one of three locations in Providence, Warren, or North Smithfield. Club members who complete the flavor surveys will not only cast their votes for which ice creams make it to stores, but also receive bonuses like coupon codes as incentive and thanks. A full-year membership can be purchased until December 31, and half memberships are available through February 5 to sample the final six weeks of flavors. Pro-tip: memberships make great gifts! TheWrightScoopRI.com
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