North America’s frozen dessert market is forecasted to grow 3-5% through 2025. Here's how producers can step up ice cream innovation to meet demand and align with changing consumer cravings.

Ice cream and other frozen desserts have an indulgent design. The sweet, cold, rich, creamy, and flavorful elements of ice cream deliver a feel-good eating experience that’s almost irresistible.

• Ice cream’s sweetness provides energy and reduces the presence of stress-inducing hormones.
• The initial cold shock of a frozen dessert that transforms into a rich taste is exciting (even if a 'brain-freeze' comes with it). Producers build on that thrill by using variegates of fudge, bright fruits, or other sweet inclusions to create a dynamic contrast with the ice cream.
• The creamy mouthfeel of ice cream helps the flavors linger, sustaining the enjoyment of every lick or spoonful.
• And the lightness of ice cream (from the air infused into the product during the production process) can compel people to indulge in one more bite because they don’t feel full.

New Zealanders hold the global record as ice-cream lovers, enjoying about 60 pints per person every year. But North Americans are ‘all-in’ with ice cream. More than 90% of residents consume 50 pints per person, generating more than $12 billion annually!

Producers are stepping up ice cream innovation to meet demand and align with changing consumer tastes. In our summary of the latest trends, you’ll find formulation insights to fuel your NPD.

What's your first memory of ice cream? For me, it was walking up to the local soft serve, Frosty Freeze, across from my old high school in Metro-Detroit. On top of their broad flavor assortment, Frosty Freeze offered an impressive selection of unique dips for customers to indulge in, like cherry, butterscotch, peanut butter, blue raspberry, and even cotton candy! Consumers are continually seeking out flavors that permit them to relax and indulge. Flavors provide a sense of comfort or even spark a new taste adventure.

Trend-watchers and industry experts predict that interest in enjoyable and indulgent food will rise this year. Consumer insight research from Mintel suggests that you can deliver indulgence in several ways, from full-on decadence to permissible or healthy indulgence. When you're creating frozen desserts, use flavor, variegates, and inclusions to elevate the taste experience.