Comax Flavors has released new primary research on consumers’ behavior, usage and attitudes towards ice cream products. Specifically, its latest research covers ice cream, ice cream novelties, plant-based ice cream and plant-based ice cream novelties. 

This is the 14th study of the company’s primary market research program. The “Ice Cream and Plant-Based Ice Cream” study was fielded in January 2019 with 1,000 US respondents aged 18-70+; half were female and the other half were male.

According to Grand View Research, Inc., the global ice cream market is anticipated to reach $78.8 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR 4.1%. 

“Nothing signifies summer quite like ice cream. In addition to dairy-based ice cream, there is a lot of activity in plant-based ice cream and we wanted to better understand the evolving consumer,” notes Catherine Armstrong, Comax Flavors vice president of corporate communications.

Comax has partnered with Amy Marks-McGee of Trendincite LLC to manage the market research program and Costello Creative Group to translate the data into creative, fun and easy-to-read infographics. Additional Comax studies include: alcohol, alternative dairy products, bread, coffee, crackers, flavored water, juice, nutrition and performance products, sweet baked products, tea and yogurt.

Below are a few of the study highlights. To request a copy of the complete What’s The Scoop? infographic, contact carmstrong@comaxflavors.com.

Ice Cream Findings - Among respondents who consume “Ice Cream” N=418:

•    “Taste” is the number one driver of Ice Cream purchases with more than two-thirds (70%) of respondents citing it as the most important attribute

•    Half or more of respondents look for “Milk” (62%), “Cream” (55%), or “Sugar” (49%) in their Ice Cream

•    More than a third of respondents look for “Fruit” (36%) and “Nuts” (35%) in their Ice Cream

•    51% of respondents’ Ice Cream habits change depending on the “season”; 80% consume ice cream during spring and summer months

•    “Vanilla/Vanilla Combinations” are the number one flavor category among all generations with almost three-quarters of respondents citing it (72%); Gen Z (84%), Gen Y (73%), Gen X (68%), Baby Boomers (66%) and Silent Generation (61%)

•    “Chocolate/Chocolate Combinations” are the second most popular flavor consumed by all generations with shy of two-thirds citing it (64%)

•    40% of respondents consume “Strawberry/Strawberry Combinations”

•    More than a third (35%) of respondents consume “Caramel/Caramel Combinations” 

•    One-third of respondents consume “Butter Pecan/Butter Pecan Combinations” and a shy of a third (31%) consume “Mint/Mint Combinations”

Ice Cream Sandwich Findings - Among respondents who consume “Ice Cream Sandwiches” N=285:

•    The top five “ingredients” respondents look for in their Ice Cream Sandwiches are: “Milk” (54%), “Cream” (48%), “Sugar” (43%), “Nuts” (20%) and “Fruit” (18%)

•    “Vanilla” is the number one ice cream flavor consumed within all ice cream sandwiches: “Vanilla Wafer” (32%), “Chocolate Wafer” (29%), “Chocolate Chip Cookie” (22%), “Chocolate Cookie” (18%) “Snickerdoodle Cookie” (16%), “Birthday Cake Cookie” (16%), “Red Velvet Cookie” (15%), “Oatmeal Cookie (14%) and “Brownie” (14%)

•    “Chocolate” is a popular ice cream flavor choice within ice cream sandwiches: “Vanilla Wafer” (17%), “Chocolate Chip Cookie” (17%), “Chocolate Cookie” (16%), “Chocolate Wafer” (15%), “Brownie” (12%) and “Red Velvet” (6%)

Ice Cream Cones Findings - Among respondents who consume “Ice Cream Cones” N=224:

•    Shy of half or more of respondents look for “Milk” (56%), “Cream” (50%), or “Sugar” (45%) in their Ice Cream Cones while shy of a quarter or more of respondents look for “Nuts” (39%) and “Fruit” (22%)

•    45% of respondents consume “Vanilla” ice cream with their “Sugar Cones” while a quarter or more enjoy “Vanilla” ice cream with their “Chocolate Cones” (30%) and “Chocolate Lined Sugar Cones” (26%)

Plain Ice Cream Bar/Pop Findings - Among respondents who consume “Plain Ice Cream Bar/Pops” N=227:

•    72% of all respondents prefer “Plain Ice Cream Pops/Bars” compared to 61% of respondents who like “Novelty Pops/Bars”

•    Half or more of all generations consume “Plain Ice Cream Pops/Bars”; Gen Z (83%), Gen X (72%), Baby Boomers (66%), Silent Generation (63%) and Gen Y (58%)

•    Respondents look for “Milk” (52%), “Cream” (43%), “Sugar” (42%), “Fruit” (40%) and “Nuts” (22%) in their Ice Cream Pops/Bars 

•    60% of respondents consume Plain “Vanilla” Ice Cream Pops while 40% of respondents consume “Cookies & Cream”

Novelty Ice Cream Bar/Pop Findings - Among respondents who consume “Novelty Ice Cream Bar/Pops” N=138:

•    Half or more of all generations consume “Novelty Ice Cream Pops/Bars”; Silent Generation (69%), Gen Y (67%), Baby Boomers (64%), Gen X (59%), Gen Z (55%)

•    “Chocolate Covered” (38%), “Candy” (38%), “Chocolate Covered Nuts (36%), “Nuts” (35%) and “Fruit Pieces” (30%) are the top five “inclusions” consumed by shy of a third or more of respondents

Plant-Based Ice Cream Findings - Among respondents who consume “Plant-Based Ice Cream” N=500:

•    97% of respondents cite “Plant-Based” as the most important attribute to drive Plant-Based Ice Cream purchases 

•    Shy of half or more of all respondents look for “Fruit” (60%), “Almond” (56%),“Protein” (55%), “Coconut”(51%) and Banana” (48%) “ingredients” in their Plant-Based Ice Cream

•    Three-quarters of all respondents (76%) cite “Health and Wellness” as the number one reason for consuming Plant-Based Ice Cream Products while more than half (55%) cite “Taste” and more than a third (35%) cite “Environmental Sustainability” 

•    Half of all respondents consume “Chocolate/Chocolate Combinations,” making it the number one plant-based ice cream flavor among all generations 

•    47% of respondents consume “Vanilla/Vanilla Combinations,” making it the second most popular flavor among all generations

•    “Strawberry/Strawberry Combinations” are liked by 44% of respondents

•    More than a third of respondents consume “Banana/Banana Combinations” (36%), Cookie Dough” (35%), “Pistachio” (35%) and “Peanut Butter/Peanut Butter Combinations” (34%)

•    “Plant-Based Alcohol Infused Ice Cream” is consumed by three-quarters or more of respondents; “Strawberry White Sangria” (78%), “Mango Margarita” (75%) and “Raspberry Limoncello” (72%)

PIant-Based Ice Cream Sandwich Findings - Among respondents who consume “Plant-Based Ice Cream Sandwiches” N=314:

•    More than half (53%) of respondents consume “Vanilla” ice cream flavors followed by “Chocolate/Dark Chocolate” (40%) with their “Vanilla Wafer Sandwiches” 

•    Respondents almost equally like the variety of ice cream flavors available on their “Chocolate Wafer Sandwiches,” with a third or more citing each flavor “Mint” (39%), “Chocolate/Dark Chocolate” (39%) with “Vanilla” (38%) and “Mocha” (36%)

•    Respondents like the same four plant-based ice cream flavors on their “Hemp Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches” as they do on their “Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches” and “Chocolate Covered Sandwiches” 

PIant-Based Ice Cream Pop/Bar Findings - Among respondents who consume “Plant-Based Ice Cream Pops/Bars” N=321:

•    Shy of three-quarters or more of all generations consume “Plant-Based Plain Ice Cream Pops/Bars”; Baby Boomers (80%), Gen Z (79%), Silent Generation (75%), Gen Y (71%) and Gen X (70%)

•    72% of all respondents consume “Vanilla” Plant-Based Plain Ice Cream Pops/Bars, making it the number one flavor 

•    “Strawberry” (65%) is the second most popular flavor among respondents

•    Half or more of respondents consume “Dark Chocolate” (53%), “Fudge” (50%) and “Coconut” (50%) flavored Plant-Based Plain Ice Cream Pops/Bars

PIant-Based Novelty Ice Cream Bar/Pop Findings - Among respondents who consume “Plant-Based Novelty Ice Cream Pops/Bars” N=237:

•    Two-thirds or more of all generations consume “Plant-Based Novelty Ice Cream Pops/Bars”; Baby Boomers (80%), Gen Y (78%), Silent Generation (75%), Gen Z (73%) and Gen X (68%)

•    Almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents consume “Chocolate Covered Vanilla” Plant-Based Novelty Ice Cream Pops/Bars followed by “Chocolate Covered Chocolate” (57%) 

•    Half or more of respondents consume “Chocolate Covered Coconut” (55%), “Chocolate Covered Salted Caramel” (53%) and “Chocolate Covered Raspberry Chocolate” (50%) flavors

•    For respondents who enjoy nut inclusions, 58% like “Chocolate Covered Nut Chocolate” and 49% enjoy “Chocolate Covered Nut Vanilla” Plant-Based Novelty Ice Cream Pops/Bars

•    “Chocolate Covered Nut Salted Caramel (46%), Chocolate Covered Nut Coconut” (43%) and “Chocolate Covered Nut Raspberry Chocolate” (40%) are popular flavors with more than a third of respondents citing them

Generations defined: Gen Z born 1996 and later; Gen Y born 1977 to 1995; Gen X born 1965 to 1976; Baby Boomers born 1946 to 1964; Silent Generation born 1925 to 1945

For more information, visit www.ComaxFlavors.com.