Burt’s Bees and Hidden Valley Ranch made headlines this week by launching a limited-edition lip balm set inspired by flavors reminiscent of popular chicken wing staples such as Buffalo wings, fresh carrot, crunchy celery, and ranch. The four-pack set was initially unveiled on April Fools Day 2022 as a social media prank, but due to the overwhelming response, it became a reality. The lip balms sold out within hours of the release, sparking an online resale market with asking prices as high as $250.
The unexpected collaboration between Burt’s Bees and Hidden Valley Ranch received mixed reviews, with some expressing enthusiasm and others gagging at the thought. Many individuals who missed out on purchasing the set are already urging for a second release as they see it as a unique and fun novelty item. The release also strategically coincided with the forthcoming Super Bowl LVIII, which is renowned as the biggest day of the year for chicken wing consumption.
Mariah Eckhardt, the general manager at Burt’s Bees, acknowledged that the decision to turn the April Fools social media post into a real product was based on the enthusiastic response from fans. This collaboration marks the latest in a series of unexpected partnerships for Hidden Valley, including a dressing-flavored ice cream with Van Leeuwen and ranch-themed Crocs, the latter which is now reselling online for over $300.