Focus On Ice Cream: 29 February

Focus On: Ice cream by Abbie Dawson

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Publishing: 29 February

Advertising deadline: 14 February

Submissions deadline: 11 February

The Story

Who needs the sunshine? Ice cream brands have racked up yet another year of growth, despite facing some tough comparable from the scorching summer of 2018. Their secret to defying the gloomy weatherman? Innovation. Both big and small brands have been active on the NPD front in a bid to maintain excitement around the ice cream category. So who have been the biggest winners? Who has been left behind? And where are the particularly hot (or cool) areas of innovation?

Key Themes

Brands: Which brands have secured the most growth and why? What role has innovation played in their success? Are these established brands with fresh lines, or completely new entrants to the market?

Handheld versus tubs: Tubs seem to have fared better than handheld in the past year. Why is this?

Trends: Innovation has included everything from plant-based to ultra-indulgent lines. So which areas have the most potential for growth? What’s the next big thing (e.g. ruby chocolate)? And just how much influence does sustainability have?

Healthy: Is this still the cash cow it once was? And can anyone take the crown from Halo Top?

Own label: While brands have stood strong against the impact of poorer weather, own label sales have suffered. Why is this? Is this simply because brands have been more innovative?

Innovations: We identify four new products that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before including launch date and RSP, and a picture of each.

Kantar data: Using Kantar commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of certain sub-categories.

Nielsen data: Using Nielsen commentary, we look at the 10 fastest-growing brands and 10 fastest-falling brands of the past year.