Sundae Services

It is nothing short of a modern day miracle. Despite all the talk of kale, quinoa, chia seeds and other “I need to eat healthier” superfoods, consumers are still screaming for ice cream—and they are screaming louder than ever. 

Retailers have been responding by devoting more and more valuable freezer shelf space to ice cream. Manufacturers have heard the call and are expanding and updating their portfolios with more rich, decadent flavors, along with cleaner labels, portion-controlled servings and lower calorie offerings for those watching their waistlines.

“Indulgence has seen a resurgence in ice cream with consumers looking to treat themselves and their families,” says David Wilson, senior marketing manager – frozen desserts at Kemps, based in St. Paul, Minn. “New flavor combinations and packaging that help convey indulgence are also growing in prominence,” he says, citing trends including smaller package sizes, clear cartons, and trendy flavors like salted caramel, loaded cookie dough and brownies.   

Consumers are also showing more concern about what is actually in their ice cream, industry observers note.

“With increasing access to information through multiple channels, consumers are more interested than ever in what’s going into the products they consume,” says Flip Block, marketing director, Mars Ice Cream, based in Hackettstown, N.J. “Mars Ice Cream frozen novelties from Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, M&M’S and Dove Brands are made with real ice cream, which offers the quality and flavor that consumers value.”   

Officials at Unilever, which counts Breyers, Good Humor, Klondike, Popsicle, Ben & Jerry’s and MAGNUM Ice Cream among its brands, say consumers are also concerned about environmental and societal issues.

“As the world’s largest ice cream company, Unilever believes in the promotion of sustainable standards that help protect the environment and promote the well-being of workers, their families and their communities,” says Nick Soukas, director of ice cream at Unilever, which maintains U.S. headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. “We’re seeing more brands moving toward this trend, and Unilever is at the forefront of this effort.”

Several major initiatives have already been implemented, Soukas says.

Currently, the Breyers brand only uses real vanilla from 100 percent sustainably farmed vanilla beans that are Rainforest Alliance Certified, and the company expects all of its vanilla beans to be Rainforest Certified by 2018, Soukas says, and as of last December, Breyers only uses sustainably farmed fruit in its products. 

Likewise, the MAGNUM brand began using sustainably sourced cocoa in January 2015. In 2012, the company signed a long-term partnership agreement with high-quality cocoa supplier Barry Callebaut.

In addition to touting the sustainability of their suppliers, Soukas suggests retailers liven up their merchandising of the department. “Unilever encourages retailers to make their ice cream aisle a fun and easy place to shop,” he says. “That is achieved through in-store visibility or signage—like freezer clings, floor graphics and shelf blades—that show consumers how to shop and find their favorite products. We also encourage supermarkets to ensure product assortment and category management is in line with consumer expectations.”

Variety is also key to stimulating sales.

“Kemps has launched two new flavors of ice cream sandwiches, adding even more variety and fun for the whole family,” says Wilson. “Strawberry and Rainbow Candy expand the sandwich line to 10 delicious flavors.” 

“Research continues to show that retailers which carry the best products from a variety of manufacturers have higher sales than retailers that only carry products from a single manufacturer or that are missing the top-selling products,” says Block. “In order to maximize sales and profits, and to drive repeat store traffic, it’s important for retailers to carry the right brands and formats with the right variety of price points and flavors, regardless of the manufacturer.”

The newest item for Mars is Dove Sorbet Bars, launched in February, in a six-count multipack in Dove Strawberry Sorbet with Milk Chocolate and Dove Raspberry Sorbet with Dark Chocolate flavors.

Kitchen ingredients

In January, Healthy Choice launched a fudge bar and smoothie bars made with natural ingredients, nothing artificial and real fruit. As an added plus, they are low in fat.

“These bars are all 80 calories or less and contain five to seven real ingredients, most of which you have in your kitchen at home—skim milk, cane sugar, cream, natural cocoa and real fruit,” says David Koehler, associate brand manager, Healthy Choice at ConAgra Foods, based in Omaha, Neb.   

An added draw is the cache of the Healthy Choice name, Koehler says. “We’re seeing very similar consumer dynamics in frozen better-for-you novelties as we see in frozen better-for-you meals—those consumers are searching for more natural options,” he says. 

Unilever is debuting a slew of novelties under its various brands. 

The Klondike brand is expanding its line of classic, stickless bars to include Klondike S’Mores Stickless Bar, featuring marshmallow flavored ice cream with a graham cracker swirl and a milk chocolate coating. Unilever is expanding MAGNUM Doubles to include MAGNUM Double Raspberry bar, featuring a luscious sauce made with Belgian chocolate and raspberry ice cream containing real raspberries. Popsicle Brand Ice Pops is introducing additional items in the brand’s iconic yellow box, including Popsicle Tropical Paradise in four flavors: Mango, Strawberry-Banana, Island Punch and Pineapple.

And the Good Humor Man is going to be busy selling the Good Humor Double Chocolate Chip Cookie sandwich, featuring creamy chocolate flavored frozen dessert coated in chocolate chips sandwiched between two chocolate cookies with milk chocolate chips.

Friendly’s is a relative newcomer to the supermarket novelty case, jumping in in 2014. “We entered the category because it was the largest category that we were not in,” says Dennis Ineman, director of retail marketing for Friendly’s Ice Cream, based in Wilbraham, Mass.

Ten products were launched that first year, followed by eight more in 2015, and more are being introduced this year to reach a total of 25. Among the new products are two SKUs of Vanilla and Forbidden Chocolate Mini Sundae Cones, Crayola Color Me Ice Pops, Black Raspberry Ice Cream Friendwich and Lemon Crème Swirl Stick Bar. “With cartons there are 20 facings per door and with novelties there are 25. We were looking to have a full door in three years and that is what we did,” Ineman says.

In recent years Friendly’s has been building up its carton business too. “As a retail division we have doubled in size since 2010, so we are shipping out twice as many cases today as we were in 2010,” says Ineman. 

New carton products include Homemade Vanilla, billed as Friendly’s richest and creamiest vanilla flavor yet, with higher levels of sweet cream and denser than its usual vanilla. Several limited edition flavors are also debuting including Crayola Color Me Vanilla, vanilla ice cream in blue, yellow and green for winter/spring; S’mores with toasted marshmallow ice cream with chocolate chunks and graham cracker variegate for spring/summer; Pumpkin for fall; and Eggnog for the holiday season.

​Breyers is expanding its popular line of Breyers Gelato Indulgences, says Soukas. New flavors include Peanut Butter Chocolate, Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Fudge Truffle and Salted Caramel Truffle. “Our Breyers Gelato Indulgences are packaged in 28.5-ounce clear tubs showcasing the gelato with its luscious sauce and gourmet toppings,” says Soukas.

Growth is also underway at Kemps, with the company expanding its popular Frozen Yogurt Shop line. “Consumers can bring the frozen yogurt shop experience into their home with our rich and creamy frozen yogurt full of flavor and loaded with popular toppings and swirls,” says Wilson. “It is a delicious indulgence right out of the freezer with lower fat than ice cream. Chocolate Hazelnut, Cinnamon Spice Cookie, Chocolate Lovers and Strawberry Cheesecake are joining Vanilla Salted Caramel, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Raspberry Chocolate and Cookies ‘n Cream,” he says.