Christmas In July: Viral Holiday Milk Returns To Stew Leonard's Stores In CT For Summer

NORWALK, CT — Stew Leonard's customers can now have a holly jolly summer as the company has announced the surprise return of its popular holiday cookie milk to all eight of its stores, including Connecticut locations in Norwalk, Danbury and Newington, for a limited time starting this month.

In an email to Patch, Stew Leonard's Spokesperson Meghan Bell said the store decided to bring back its iconic cookie milk because customers just could not wait until December.

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"We kept hearing from families who missed the cookie milk," Bell said, "so we thought why not bring a little Christmas magic to the July heat?"

According to Bell, the cookie milk will be sold for a limited time this summer in a special "Christmas in July" commemorative 32-ounce bottle.

"It's a limited-time treat that we'll offer until we run out, most likely by the end of summer," Bell said. "Cookie milk will then return to Stew's shelves in late November, just in time for the holiday season."

Shoppers can also currently order a cookie milk latte at all eight of the store's coffee bar locations, featuring two shots of freshly brewed espresso combined with the signature vanilla and butter cookie milk.

The latte can be ordered hot or iced and topped with whipped cream upon request, Bell said.

First introduced to Stew Leonard's stores in 2016, videos of customers trying the cookie milk generated huge engagement on TikTok and Instagram this past holiday season, according to Bell.

"Some of our locations actually sold out in under two hours after it hit shelves," Bell said. "Review videos, taste tests and coffee recipes helped amplify the trend."

The success of the cookie milk has led the company to introduce a number of other flavored milks.

In May, the store posted a video of CEO Stew Leonard Jr. sampling four different flavored milks available for customers to buy: strawberry, coffee, dulce de leche and cookies and cream.

The store has also previously sold flavored milks themed around other holidays, including green "shamrock milk" in March and "chocolate bunny milk" around Easter.

"These fun flavors are a great way to put a big smile on a kid's face," Bell said, "or a grown-up's!"

The store's flavored milk comes from the family-owned Oakridge Dairy Farm in Ellington, according to Bell.

Bell also teased plans to bring more new milk flavors to Stew Leonard's stores in the near future, however the store is "not quite ready to announce the new flavors" yet.

To celebrate the surprise return of cookie milk, Stew Leonard's has also introduced a new animatronic milk bottle character to all of its stores.

Aptly named Cookie Milk, the new character comes to life when customers press a button and sings a song about the popular product.

"There's a new milk happening at Stews, fresh from the farm just for you," Cookie Milk sings. "If you want something sweet then have a little treat, there's a new milk happening at Stews."

Stew Leonard's has long featured animatronic characters at its stores, an idea that began decades ago with the company's founder, Stew Leonard Sr.

According to Bell, the store founder visited Disneyland and saw how much joy and wonder the animatronics featured in the California theme park's rides and shows brought to families.

"He realized grocery shopping doesn't have to be a chore," Bell said, "it can be an experience. We choose to add these fun characters because our number one philosophy is to make our customers happy. We love to see a kid dancing with Clover the Cow or the Avocado Girls while mom and dad shop."

Customers can purchase cookie milk and other flavored milks, shipped nationwide, through the store's website.