Leopold’s Ice Cream has partnered with Byrd Cookie Company to create a signature ice cream flavor celebrating Connect Savannah, and they’ve named it Connecting Savannah Legacies. “It really is for Connect Savannah,” said Stratton Leopold, owner and operator of Leopold’s Ice Cream.

The flavor combines Byrd Cookie Company’s Key Lime Coolers, Leopold’s vanilla ice cream made with Georgia-grown blueberries and an added lime zest.

“We see it as three Savannah institutions coming together,” Leopold said.

When the idea came about for the magazine’s own ice cream flavor, Leopold said he got to thinking about tradition.

“We thought about our friends over at Byrd’s Cookie Company,” Leopold said. “When you think about Savannah, you think about history and local icons, such as Byrd’s. I remember the paper bags of Byrd’s Scotch Oatmeal cookies all the students at Massie School would sell for fundraisers. So, this ‘recipe’ called for Connect Savannah, Byrd’s Cookies, and Leopold’s Ice Cream altogether in the same ice cream churn or cookie jar. That’s how we began developing the flavor.”

Geoff Repella, president of Byrd Cookie Company, said they were honored when Leopold suggested the collaboration.

“We really appreciate being a part of the fabric of the Savannah community,” Repella said. “Anytime we can give back through partnerships with each other or through partnerships with other charities in the community, we always try to do something because we are very blessed and privileged to be here.”

Like Leopold’s, Byrd Cookie Company is a family-owned company based in Savannah. They are in their fourth generation of ownership and fifth generation of leadership. Their mission, Repella said, is to put more cookies in more mouths.

“We love being a taste of Savannah,” Repella said.

Leopold said he’s known Connect Savannah and Morris Multimedia President Charles H. Morris Hill for many years.

“He is a visionary,” Leopold said. “He really has such love for Savannah and such foresight; it’s amazing. The years of research and care that went into the planning and execution of the Morris Center complex resulted in such a tribute to and ‘thank you’ to Savannah.”

“Leopold’s ice cream is a Savannah treasure enjoyed by Savannahians and world travelers all year long.” — Charles H. Morris, founder, Morris Multimedia

Morris founded Morris Multimedia in 1970 in Savannah. The company today owns and operates 60 publications, network affiliate television stations and other media related ventures in nine states and the Caribbean.

Headquartered in the Historic Oliver Sturges House in Savannah, Morris Multimedia Inc., continues to grow, Morris said.

The collaboration on the iconic ice cream flavor was exciting for Morris, as well.

“Leopold’s ice cream is a Savannah treasure enjoyed by Savannahians and world travelers all year long,” Morris said.

Leopold proposed a design for a flavor for Morris and Connect. “This one just seemed like it worked together, and it does,” Leopold said.

The flavor will be launched and ready for rollout in May, Leopold said.

“It’s very exciting to be in partnership with Byrd and with Connect,” Leopold said. “I envision it to be just a wonderful, wonderful partnership.”

Byrd Cookie Company and Leopold’s Ice Cream have both been in business for nearly 100 years.

Find the Connecting Savannah Legacies ice cream flavor combination at Leopold’s Ice Cream at any of their Savannah locations. Visit the storied businesses’ websites, morrismultimedia.com, leopoldsicecream.com and byrdcookiecompany.com to learn about the legacies they’ve built here in Savannah.

This article appears in 04-28-2021.