It was so amazing to kick off IDFA’s Ice Cream & Cultured Innovation Conference this week in Fort Lauderdale. With more than 260 industry professionals in attendance, and an information-packed agenda, this year’s conference was a huge success. Hopefully everyone made it home safe after many travel disruptions. My “direct” flight home to Chicago took more than 12 hours and included a stop in Milwaukee to refuel.
In case you missed it, retail dairy volume sales were up in every category in 2024, according to Circana.
What’s driving this growth? It’s innovation. And the conference was packed with innovation ideas, everything from boosting the fiber content of yogurt to positioning ice cream as a mood enhancer.
Package is key, too. Pints are a powerful package size in the world of ice cream. By definition, pints hold 16 fluid ounces of product; however, for economics, some “pint” packs contain a little less.
Regardless of how much is inside, pints cost more--often a lot more—on a per-ounce-base than larger-sized ice cream containers. In fact, numerous artisan, hand-crafted brands command more than $10 per pint at retail. Such smaller-sized containers, though more expensive, invite consumers to try something new. There’s less product, and thus less risk of waste in case you don’t like it.
Here are 10 key take-aways from the conference. These are in reference to ice cream and cultured dairy.
1. SUGAR: Decrease, eliminate and go LACTOSE FREE.
2. Promote PROTEIN content.
3. Talk up CLEAN LABEL, MINIMAL PROCESSING and NUTRIENT DENSITY.
4. Speak to WOMEN’S HEALTH and WELLNESS.
5. Focus on GUT and IMMUNE HEALTH benefits.
6. NEWSTALGIA: Nostalgic with a timely twist.
7. SWICY: Turn up the heat with some sweet.
8. PLAY WITH TEXTURE: Crunch, crisp, chew, ooze, wiggle, and more.
9. Satisfy CHOCOLATE cravings with bits and pieces.
10. Make them go “WOWZA” with a mashup. Provide FLAVOR ADVENTURE.
And when doing this, make sure you know your target consumer and you give them what they want. According to recent consumer survey of more than 2,000 U.S. consumers conducted by Menu Matters at the end of 2024, consumers want something new.
The survey showed that one in five consumers say there are too many versions of the same product on the store shelf. Fifty-five percent said that ‘new’ food experiences should feature new or unique ingredients or flavors. The consumer need here is for new sensory experiences.
They want new ways to value.
- 73%: Knowing where ingredients come from increases the value of a product
- 57%: Prioritize price as value, but 43% do not. Value is not always about price
- 55%: Prioritize quality
- 34%: Healthy
- 30%: Convenience
- 30%: Uniqueness
They want to escape the chaos of the world we live in.
- 70%: Use foods and beverages as a form of escape.
- 33%: Ice cream can be selfcare
- 37%: Look for new ways to live boldly. They always or regularly look for foods, flavors and ingredients from a place they’ve visited once they’re back home. The 10 busiest travel days in TSA history took place in 2024.
New is not Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla. If you are introducing a new product line, get a little more creative. Dubai Chocolate is the perfect example. Aldi in the U.K. is making it available in ice cream form.
Inspired by the Dubai Chocolate Bar, which has gained hundreds of millions of views on TikTok and nearly 6.5 million Google searches in the past month, the ice cream blends rich chocolate with nutty pistachio in a crunchy, wafer-like texture.
There was a Dubai Chocolate ice cream innovation in the annual Innovative Ice Cream Flavors and Products competition held at the conference, and it was a winner! There were so many amazing concepts, and attendees got to taste them all, everything from classic flavors, such as brownie, coffee and mint, coupled with a newstaligic twist, to global flavors such as Yemeni Spiced Mocha and Thai Mango Sticky Rice, and spicy options like Blazing Mango Vanilla and Sweet Heat Peach.
“Every year, we are amazed by the creativity and quality of the flavors and products submitted to this contest. It’s inspiring to see the industry constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for frozen treats,” said Roberta Wagner, IDFA senior vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs. “This year, we were especially excited by the diverse range of ice cream flavors and novelties. The competition truly highlighted the potential for flavor innovation, with entries ranging from timeless classics like vanilla and cherry to bold new combinations that were sweet, salty and even spicy! We look forward to seeing this industry continue to innovate and thrive.”
The competitions attracted 47 entries, allowing attendees to get a taste of the latest flavor innovations and providing a platform for entrants to feature their most exciting new products.
This year’s awardees of the Innovative Flavor and Product contests are:
Most Innovative Ice Cream Flavor (currently offered for sale in the market)
1st Place: Lavender Lemon Butter Cookie | Kent Precision Foods Group
2nd Place: Tipsy Peach | Hershey Ice Cream
3rd Place: Paloma Paradise | Baskin-Robins
Most Innovative Ice Cream Novelty (currently offered for sale in the market)
1st Place: Brownie Batter Cookie Dough | Hudsonville Ice Cream
2nd Place: Brownie Batter Ice Cream Sandwich | Hershey Ice Cream
3rd Place: Rainbow Sherbert Bar | Baskin-Robbins
Most Innovative Prototype Ice Cream Flavor (not yet in the market)
1st Place: Dubai Bar Bliss | IRCA Group
2nd Place: Lemonstachio Chocolate Chunk Cannoli | Publix Super Markets
3rd Place: Trolli Sour Blast | Baskin-Robins
Congrats!
