February 2012/Prepared Foods -- The frozen dessert industry has never been hotter, as consumers reach for treats both indulgent and comforting, keeping business churning for the big guys, such as Edy’s, Häagen Dazs, Ben & Jerry’s and Dreyer’s. Meanwhile, sweet offerings from the boutique makers, like Laloo’s, Ciao Bella, Sambozon and Molly Moon’s, are eagerly scooped up. And, while good ol’ plain vanilla and chocolate are enjoying a surge of popularity (comprising more than a third of frozen dessert flavors sold), so too are their polar opposites: those frozen dessert products loaded with stir-ins, swirl-ins and celebrity-driven concoctions, including nuts, fruits, cookies and even bits of ice cream cone.
Some constants will always drive frozen dessert flavors. Vanilla and chocolate will likely always be the top two flavors. But, now and again, some surprises arise. For instance, a 2011 survey by market researchers at the NPD Group revealed butter pecan edged out strawberry as the third most popular flavor in the U.S., based on annual sales. And, while strawberry was knocked to fourth, the group found chocolate chip mint had landed in the last spot of the top five.
Meanwhile, global research group Euromonitor International Ltd. has noted the demand for health-directed indulgences is increasing in the frozen dessert category and changing the flavors for which consumers are clamoring. As stated in its August 2011 “Flavors in Dairy and Ice Cream in the US” report, “The dairy and ice cream market looks for opportunities to make products better for you. ‘Permissible indulgence’ is a new market driver, as indulgence is offered in healthier versions.” In contrasting this with the flavor trends, Euromonitor points out, “While exotic appeals to high-end consumers, feel-good flavors strike a chord with the mainstream. Traditional flavors dominate, but shifting demographics could signal a new path toward exotic and ethnically influenced flavors.”