After 39 years, this iconic ice cream product is no more. This is how customers react

The Klondike Choco Taco, invented in 1983, was discontinued as part of an initiative to streamline the company's product line. The treatment has surprisingly dedicated fans, who have responded to the news with anguish, outrage and sometimes profanity. It was a huge outpouring for a small, mass-produced ice cream novelty that was supposed to be crispy, but usually wasn't. Many business owners dream of creating iconic products with dedicated super-fans, but few actually achieve it. What's the secret to Choco Taco?

For months, people on social media have speculated that the infamous treat was gone, but Klondike assured them that only the grocery store-compatible four-pack had been discontinued. “Klondike Choco Taco single serve is available at ice cream trucks and convenience stores nationwide,” the company tweeted on July 17 and provided a store locator for good measure. Less than ten days later, he had to eat those words.

The public and media response was immediate and heartfelt, with a surprising number of celebrities weighing in on the demise of the Choco Taco.

Or even hoping to resurrect it.

Why so much lamentation over the departure of the Choco Taco? The Confection has a bizarre fictional origin story, involving a mirage seen while lost in the desert in Mexico. In fact, it was invented by Alan Drazen, an executive at ice cream company Jack & Jill (now part of GlacierPoint Enterprises). At the time, Jack & Jill didn't have their own signature confection, so Drazen decided to invent one. Mexican food was the fastest growing segment of the food industry, so an ice cream novelty in the form of a taco seemed like a hit. He later said that the folded shape of the Choco Taco was the real secret to its success. Rather than eating the toppings and then rolling down to the crispy cone like an ice cream cone, you have ice cream, toppings, and a cone in every bite.

Choco Taco has more than one celebrity chef among its fans. New York restaurateur and taco expert Alex Stupak asked a French pastry chef to work with him on creating a limited-edition version for one of his restaurants. And Tyler Malek, owner of the high-end ice cream chain Salt & Straw, has loved the Choco Taco since he was a kid. He too created his own version, called the Chocolate Tacolate for the company's now-defunct soft-serve store. Now that the Klondike treat has been discontinued, he plans to bring back the chocolate tacolate to fill the gaping void left by the chocolate taco.

Is all this love for the Choco Taco really about the confection itself? No, some argue, especially comedian Roy Wood Jr., who argued convincingly for this view on The Daily Show.

I believe this is the real secret behind this and other beloved products. They connect us to our childhood, people from our past, and the summer when we might have enjoyed a Choco Taco with family or friends after working in the yard or going on a fun outing. It is a product that arouses people's nostalgia.

Even the Klondike seem to be aware of this. "We know Choco Taco is a huge fan favorite and top seller for our out-of-home business, so this is especially painful," he tweeted to a disgruntled fan. "We're working hard to find a way to bring Choco Taco back to ice cream trucks for years to come."

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