Dessert lovers increasingly want to have their ice cream and eat it too (without guilt).
There’s no question the quintessential frozen dessert is a household staple. More than 85 percent of U.S. households buy ice cream or sherbet, according to research firm Packaged Facts, with ice cream and frozen novelties remaining a perennial top 10 food category in supermarkets.
But according to Mintel, consumers overwhelmingly claim to be buying less ice cream/treats because they are unhealthy, as opposed to too expensive.
The emphasis on health has been lukewarm for traditional ice cream sales – but brands have responded by offering consumers more “better-for-you” options with smaller portion sizes and better ingredients.
In fact, nearly 45% of consumers say they are buying more non-dairy frozen treats.
As consumers become more experimental in treating their sweet tooth, so have brands in developing a suite of healthier, less guilty frozen desserts.