Call us: +57 601 269 9978
Popular ice cream flavors: exploring flavors
Alimentos SAS • Oct 13, 2021
Ice cream is a beloved product. According to the International Dairy Foods Association (n.d.), it is the most popular frozen desserts category in the United States. The organization reports the average American eats about 23 pounds of ice cream and similar frozen desserts a year. Read on to discover more about market trends and how fruit is making a move to dominate popular ice cream flavors today.
The business of ice cream
Ice cream is a versatile product. Today, consumers can choose from plenty of options. From dairy ice cream to plant-based ice cream to even more peculiar alternatives, like liquid nitrogen ice cream. Moreover, it is an all-year-round treat – for example, about 68% of American adults eat ice cream throughout the year (YouGovAmerica, 2021).
It is no wonder that it shows a positive performance. Research and Markets (2021 a) reports that the global ice cream market reached a 65.8 billion USD value in 2020. The firm (2021 b) forecasts it will reach 83.1 billion USD by 2025 with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.76% between 2020 and 2024.
In the U.S., the frozen dessert market was worth USD 52.8 billion in 2020. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.7% in the 2021-2028 period. As of 2020, ice cream and gelato hold the largest share (40%) (Grand View Research, 2020 b).
In addition to product variety, consumers can also enjoy a wide array of flavors for every taste. Research and Markets (2021 a) says that the most popular ice cream flavors worldwide are chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. In fact, Fortune Business Insights (2021) finds that fruit-flavored ice cream is a growing segment of the global market share.
In the case of frozen dessert flavors, American consumers prefer chocolate and vanilla. However, there is an increasing interest in mocha, cocoa, rooibos tea, cappuccino, and tropical flavors (Grand View Research, 2020 b).
But, more specifically, which are the most popular ice cream flavors in the United States today?
Current popular ice cream flavors
A 2020 poll by the research data group YouGovAmerica shows chocolate (17%) and vanilla (15%) are the leading popular ice cream flavors among American adults. Strawberry is a close third (8%), sharing the spot with mint chocolate chip and butter pecan.
However, the market seems to be steering toward new favorites as consumers grow interested in innovative flavors. The main drivers behind this trend include (Grand View Research, 2020 b. Fortune Business Insights, 2021. Research and Markets, 2021, b):
- Consumers’ ever-changing eating habits. In particular, younger consumers tend to be more adventurous. This contributes to an increasing interest in exotic flavors.
- The rising demand for low-sugar and low-calorie desserts, as consumers have grown more health-oriented.
- Healthier and functional premium products made with nutritious, high-quality ingredients.
- Extensive use of natural ingredients in the production of frozen dairy products.
The next popular ice cream flavors
It would seem as if natural flavor, especially fruit flavor, is poised to conquer fans in the U.S. And not only in the arena of ice cream but of other frozen dairy treats. Chances are consumers could favor fruity frozen yogurt or milkshake flavors in the near future.
In fact, FONA International’s Flavor Radar (2021) shows cherry and strawberry are trending flavors for ice cream production globally. Furthermore, blueberry and lychee are the top new players on the scene.
Food industry businesses could bring these and other fruit flavors to consumers using fruit puree. It retains taste and nutrients from fresh fruit and is logistically more efficient than whole fruits (Dohler, n.d.). Additionally, it is a healthier, more natural food sweetener (Grand View Research, 2020 a).
Actually, some producers are making dairy-free, fruit puree ice cream. Purees are naturally creamy and velvety, which creates a mouthfeel similar to regular ice cream. It also calls for no added sugars (Snow Monkey, 2021).
As seen, the stage is set for innovative options to make a splash in the ice cream market. Fruit flavors seem to be poised as the headliners to become popular ice cream flavors as consumers grow more interested in healthier, premium food goods. Fruit puree is an efficient, high-quality ingredient to make such products and it also meets consumers’ demands and expectations.
Alimentos SAS Blog
Customer Resources
