According to Mintel International's (Chicago) “The U.S. Ice Cream Market” report, ice cream is loved universally. The market grew nearly 24% between 1998 and 2003, not surprising considering 93% of all households surveyed consume ice cream products. Yet, households with children are lead consumers of ice cream, with 34% of such households consuming four or more quarts of ice cream per month, compared to 20% of households without children. Frozen novelties were 20% more likely to be purchased by households with children than those without.
Continued growth of ice cream sales demands nearly constant innovation and a close watch on the marketplace. The buzzword in the early 1990s was “healthful”; manufacturers had to devise products with lower fat and sugar content. When demand for healthier ice cream products eroded in the middle of the decade, manufacturers increased the offerings of indulgent, super-premium products and met with good results. Now, consumers are seeking more-healthful choices once again, and several manufacturers, including market leaders such as Good Humor-Breyers (Green Bay, Wis.) and Dreyer's (Oakland, Calif.), have developed new versions of their products to accommodate those consumers. However, at the same time, sales of premium and super-premium products continue to accelerate, as consumers sacrifice more-healthful eating for sumptuous flavor.