f’real foods is celebrating its 20th birthday with a limited-edition Birthday Cake Batter Milkshake, launching this week nationwide.

According to a company press release, demand for Birthday Cake flavor is strongest among Gen Z consumers, which is a target audience for f’real. According to a 2023 SNAP Datassentials study, 96% of consumers know what the Birthday Cake flavor is, 88% have tried it and 71% enjoy the flavor.

The brand has offered a cake batter flavor in the past, including for the brand’s 10th birthday. Most f’real limited-time flavors are available for three to six months.

The first f’real blender was installed in Tulsa, OK, in 2003. Since then, f’real has sold over 500 million milkshakes worldwide. Founder Jim Farrell, an engineer and milkshake lover, recognized the time and hassle required for operators to make a milkshake. After years of work in his garage, he developed the innovative f’real self-serve blender.

The design evolved over the years, and when f’real foods joined the Rich Products Corporation in 2012, the blend-it-yourself machines were in 9,000 convenience stores and foodservice locations in the United States and Canada. Today, f’real is available in over 24,000 c-stores, foodservice areas and college campuses across the globe.

To learn how to optimize your store layout and offerings with what shoppers expect, attend the education session “Thriving in the Marketplace: How to Win With Shoppers” at the NACS Show on October 4 in Atlanta.