Five Ice Cream Observations to Fuel Your 2023 Innovations

 

April Fools! That photo should grab your attention. It’s a prank from Yasso, which is pretending to launch Mintiest Mint Toothpaste, Mouthwash and Floss today. The idea was inspired by Yasso’s bestselling Mint Chocolate Chip Bar, which has been compared—by its haters—to tasting like mint toothpaste. Always one to poke fun at themselves, the cult-favorite better-for-you Greek frozen yogurt brand hopes the prank brings a smile to its customers during these crazy times. 

It was wonderful to see—and hug or fist bump—so many of you at the International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) Ice Cream Technology and Yogurt & Cultured Innovation Conference in Florida. The company was great. The content was interesting. And, well, the weather was fabulous. 

With almost 30 years of tracking ice cream trends behind me, I believe I am able to provide a unique perspective to the category. And, in fact, there is still time to plan your travels to the Oregon Dairy Industries meeting on April 12 to hear “Around the World One Scoop at a Time,” where I will discuss how ice cream is a craved dessert in almost every country, but the similarities end there. Discover flavors, textures and formats from beyond our borders, as well as explore U.S. concepts that are already playing in this space and identify opportunities for future innovation. For more information, link HERE. 

Here are five ice cream observations from the past year or so to help fuel your next innovation. 

1. Pints are powerful and should focus on indulgence. They command a premium and allow for consumers to try something new without the commitment of a larger-sized package. Price often does not matter when shopping the pint section of the freezer, which continues to grow every year.

2. Novelties, on the other hand, are designed to be single-serve items. While once considered a kids’ category, novelties are now often premium products designed for adults. They assist with portion control, so are ideal for indulgent formulations where the consumer wants a treat without the temptation to grab another scoop. They function as a grab-and-go snack and should be marketed as such. One of the biggest opportunities with novelties is better-for-you concepts. This might be in the form of high protein, probiotics, botanicals, fortification, etc. It also might be about low- or no-added sugar, which happens to be the biggest claim being made on new ice cream launches. It might also be about the inclusion of fruits, nuts and other whole food ingredients that are identifiable. The consumer knows just what they are getting in this portion pack.  

3. New ice cream flavors are paramount to keeping your brand relevant. Anything goes with ice cream flavors and those that provide shock value make for great limited-edition offerings. Investing in public relations prior to the launch provides the marketing hype to make the flavor a success and creates anticipation for the next concept in the pipeline. 

4. International recipes, imported ingredients and local sourcing, in particular, the use of upcycled ingredients, should not be trivialized. Authenticity and storytelling is key. 

5. Co-branding is back, as is exclusive partnerships with retailers. The co-branding is not simply licensing a character or making reference to some nostalgic dessert. It’s about teaming up with another food company and recreating their product as an ice cream. And, making a flavor exclusive to a specific retail chain invites that retailer to do the marketing for you. 

Ice Cream Flavor Contest

The IDFA conference hosted 178 ice cream industry professionals who tasted, judged and selected the winners from 35 ice cream innovations entered into this annual contest. Purple Daze by The Ice Cream Club Inc., took home top honors in the Most Innovative Ice Cream Flavor competition. It is black raspberry ice cream with a black raspberry crinkle and dark chocolate black raspberry cups. 

Blue Bunny Strawberry Cheesecake Twist Cone by Wells Enterprises Inc., was awarded Most Innovative Ice Cream Novelty. This concept rolled out earlier this year and is a sugar cone filled with two flavors of soft-serve dairy dessert along with a ribbon of strawberry.

Perry’s Ice Cream Company Inc., received second place for its Yellow Cake Sundae Crunch Ice Cream Bar. Third place went to Dairy Farmers of America for its Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler.

Monkey Bread from Hudsonville Ice Cream was named Most Innovative Prototype Ice Cream Flavor. I am looking forward to this flavor being commercialized. Hudsonville also grabbed a third place award for its Little Debbie Honey Bun Ice Cream, which is honey bun-flavored ice cream with glazed honey bun pieces and a sweet cinnamon swirl. Hudsonville Ice Cream and Little Debbie rolled out seven snack cake-flavored ice cream pints to Walmart stores on February 1st.

Rolling Out Now

Of course, you could only win if you entered the contest…and there are so many new ice creams entering freezers in 2022 that were not part of the contest that I feel the need to highlight some for you in this space. 

Cascade Glacier, a popular foodservice ice cream brand for more than 25 years at national parks, waterparks and other attractions along the West Coast, is bringing back one of its popular shock-value flavors: Licorice. Just looking at it you can almost taste the authentic black licorice flavor. 

Shark Tank-backed farm creamery business, The Frozen Farmer, is accelerating its Kroger partnership by joining the Kroger Racing family of brands in sponsoring JTG Daugherty Racing’s No. 47 Camaro ZL1, driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series. The brand is also launching a new Kroger-exclusive flavor: Apple Pie Frobert. This flavor is a blend of ice cream and sorbet made using upcycled fruit. It hit shelves nationwide this month. Frobert is the company’s better-for-you frozen dairy dessert that lessens the fat and calorie content of traditional ice cream in a sustainable way without sacrificing flavor or creaminess. 

Shock value is the name of the game for Brooklyn-based Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. Last summer the company teamed up with Kraft Heinz to bring together two of life’s greatest pleasures: ice cream and macaroni and cheese. The limited-edition ice cream sold out online in the first few hours and did not last long in scoop shops. 

Continuing with the cheese theme, Van Leeuwen is rolling out Pizza, which is pizza-flavored ice cream featuring a mozzarella base with tomatoes and basil. It is part of an exclusive launch at Walmart that also includes Bourbon Cherries Jubilee, Hot Honey (bits of honeycomb in a vanilla base with a hot honey swirl), Planet Earth (blue spirulina and matcha green tea cake), Royal Wedding Cake (floral, sweet cream cheese ice cream with chunks of lemon sponge cake with layers of elderflower frosting) and Wild Blueberry Shortcake.

Salt & Straw wants to take you back to cereal-filled Saturday mornings with its new Cereal-sly Delicious line of five cereal-inspired flavors. They are: 

Cornflake Cookies w/ Marionberry Jam: caramelized brown butter cornflake cookies crumbled into malty, cereal-flecked ice cream with gobs of marionberry jam 

OffLimits’ Cocoa Puffs’ n Cold Brew: Intelligentsia cold brew ice cream swirled with malty fudge with cereal brand OffLimits’ coffee and cocoa spheres thrown in

Peanut Butter Cheer Yo Clusters: golden cereal, gooey marshmallow fluff and creamy peanut butter made into bars until they’re extra chewy, then broken into bite-sized clusters and churned into chocolate stracciatella-flecked sweet oat cream 

Pots of Gold & Rainbows: Lucky Charms cereal steeped in cream for that bottom-of-the-bowl sweetened milk flavor with heaps of rainbow mallows

Snap & Crackle Marshmallow Treats: marshmallow-y brown butter treats, pressed and toasted into a lacy florentine, churned throughout a malty, toasted graham ice cream

And, one of my favorite shock-value flavors is Everything Bagel from Jeni’s Ice Cream. After being a very successful special-edition offering in 2021, the company is brining it back for a limited time this year.

Jeni’s uses a buttery streusel seasoned with onions, garlic, cayenne, sesame and poppy seeds in a cream cheese-flavored ice cream. The garlic and onion pieces are there and surprisingly, quite good. The cream cheese balances these two ingredients, bringing out their natural sweetness. 

Cultured Dairy Disruptors

 

“During the pandemic, much of our attention has been centered around supply. The lower number of launches in the last two years compared to pre-pandemic years shows the sacrifices made in terms of new product innovation,” says Erika Gayhart, associate marketing manager-food cultures and enzymes at Chr. Hansen Inc., who will speak on “Global and Micro Trends Shaping Innovation in Cultured Dairy” on March 29th at the International Dairy Foods Association’s Yogurt & Cultured Innovation Conference. “As we draw closer to the eventual end of this era, more companies will resume launching new innovative products. Now is a great time to consider what your next product will be. At Chr. Hansen, we have been paying close attention to consumer and processor behaviors, gathering insights from all over the world. In this talk, we will be looking at some of the global trends we’ve identified that may draw inspiration for your own brand.”

For more information on the conference, link HERE.

As prices go up in the supermarket, it is critical to remind consumers that dairy foods are one of the most affordable sources of nutrition, in particular, high-quality, complete protein, which is the type of protein the human body craves and requires to function at its best. The cultured dairy products category encompasses foods that are concentrated sources of protein and other dairy nutrients. It includes yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, dips and a few other novel fermented dairy foods. 

Most of these dairy foods are simple formulations, yet made by complex and meticulous processes. It is possible to make all of them with U.S.-sourced ingredients, often times local ingredients. This helps keep prices down and is also good for the economy and the planet. These facts need to be communicated to consumers. 

So how does a marketer differentiate to ensure their brand gets noticed on the retail shelf? 

For starters, no- or low-added sugars are paramount, and even a not-so-sweet taste profile has become the norm among younger consumers who prefer beverages such as flavored, unsweetened seltzers over the overtly sweet (from sugar or non-nutritive sweeteners) sodas that older consumers grew up with. 

Consumers today also want added value. This can come in the form of milk source (e.g., grass-fed, A2, regenerative organic, etc.) It also may come from international recipes and global flavors. 

Probiotics, prebiotics and their impact on immunity keep cultured dairy products relevant to today’s health and wellness consumers. Limited-batch recipes are also attractive, as they create an urgency to purchase and try before the concept is sold out. Partnering with a celebrity spokesperson also appears to be the biggest trend across all food and beverage. Dairy included. 

Let’s explore some recent innovations that address these trends. 

Premium yogurt producer Tims Dairy and Wilkin & Sons have collaborated on a limited-edition strawberry Greek yogurt in the U.K. The British brands partnered on this new offering to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The Greek-style strawberry yogurt uses Wilkin & Sons’ preserves brand, Tiptree’s. It is a strawberry jam with champagne conserve. Tims Dairy yogurts are made with live active cultures, fresh British milk and all-natural ingredients. The single-serve container was only available for one month. 

Nomadic Dairy has introduced a limited-edition Honeycomb & Chocolate variant to its four-strong Yogurt & Oat Cluster lineup. The offering is part of a rolling program of limited-edition flavors throughout the year by the Irish brand. 

“Our Yogurt & Clusters range has been a runaway success for years now, but our market research recently found that customers wanted to see new flavors,” says Bethan Miles, brand manager at Nomadic Dairy. “It therefore made sense to create this deliciously indulgent limited edition, especially given the high demand for such flavors across all food categories.” 

Back in the U.S. and with international flair, DAH! has been busy. The company manufactures premium, slow-cultured dairy and plant-based yogurts that merge the time-tested, ancient wisdom of India’s culinary traditions with the precision of modern methods and technologies. DAH! recently announced a new partnership with Indian-American author, TV host, producer and culinary expert Padma Lakshmi. Lakshmi has joined the company as a board advisor and brand partner. In this position, she will work hand-in-hand with the executive team and board of directors to advise on the overall direction of the company, brand equity and innovation strategy, and lend her expertise to the research and development department to help craft and test new products and flavors.

The newest flavor in the company’s lassi line is Tomato with Mixed Berries. Lassi is a slow-cultured yogurt smoothie cooked at a lower temperature for a more extended time yielding a smooth, richly textured, intensely flavorful product. It is made with whole milk and real fruit and is packed with 15 billion probiotics per serving.

Good Culture, a clean-label, cultured foods brand credited with revolutionizing cottage cheese, is teaming up with celebrity fitness trainer, fitness influencer and founder of The Sculpt Society—Megan Roup—to engage health-conscious consumers and help them experience how good cultured foods can make them feel. The company’s humanely and sustainably sourced milk that goes into its cottage cheese provides high protein and gut-friendly live and active cultures.

“Protein and live and active cultures help build energy, muscle, gut health and good feelings, all things my community cares about,” says Roup. “Good Culture is a delicious and sensible indulgence with unparalleled taste and thick and creamy texture, but what it does for your body is what makes it a real star. When you eat good food, you feel good."

Late last year, Karoun Dairies, part of the Parmalat family, rolled out Nata Crema para Desayuno (Nata Breakfast Cream), which is a naturally sweet clotted cream made with real California whole milk. Popular in Mexico and Latin America, the spread can be used on toast topped with honey, put a spoonful on fruit, or mix it into a dessert.

The company is also rolling out a new range of premium dips, also under the Parmalat label. The Jocoque Seco concept is said to be a healthier alternative to dips, mayonnaise, cream and cream cheese. This product will be featured next week as a Daily Dose of Dairy. 

Kemps, a business of Dairy Farmers of America, continues to grow its single-serve cottage line with the addition of Bacon Cheddar and Bacon Ranch. 

“It’s part of a campaign to drive excitement in cottage cheese through new flavors,” says Rachel Kyllo, senior vice president of marketing and innovation.

Danone North America has expanded its Dannon Light + Fit yogurt range in collaboration with the women’s nonprofit, Dress for Success Worldwide. The new Greek nonfat yogurt comes in Lemon Cream and Orange Cream flavors.  The new Light + Fit yogurts contain 12 grams of protein, 7 grams of total sugar, 0 grams of fat and are a good source of calcium. Each flavor has 80 calories per 5.3-ounce serving. They come in four packs with a suggested retail price of $3.99.

The company also recognizes that there has been an increasing focus on the importance of supporting the immune system, particularly due to its relationship with overall wellbeing. Younger generations, like Millennials, are looking for functional benefits in their foods. Activia, the probiotic pioneer and modern gut health innovator, has launched its latest innovation to meet that growing demand. The new Activia+ Multi-Benefit Probiotic Yogurt Drinks are packed with billions of live and active probiotics that help support gut health, plus are an excellent source (20% Daily Value) of vitamins C, D and zinc to support the immune system. Activia+ is available in 3.1-fluir-ounce bottles. Six packs sell for about $4.59. 

“At Danone, we know good gut health is the gateway to a variety of health benefits and overall well-being,” says Kallie Goodwin, vice president of family and wellness brands at Danone North America. “We also know that consumers are becoming increasingly interested in both gut health and foods that help support the immune system. Our new innovation, Activia+, comes at the perfect time as, now more than ever, people are turning to functional foods and products for the extra support of their gut and immune system.”

40 Years Later, FDA Tells the Dairy Industry and Consumers to Keep Waiting for Yogurt Rules

On March 22, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published a notice to clarify that the effectiveness of certain provisions of the yogurt standard of identity final rule have been stayed. The final rule, published on June 11, 2021, amended the standard of identity for yogurt and revoked the definitions and standards of identity for low-fat yogurt and nonfat yogurt. Dairy standards of identity are subject to formal rulemaking procedures, which provide a 30-day period for any person adversely affected to file an objection and request for hearing. If objections are properly filed, then the provisions to which objections were made do not go into effect (i.e., are “stayed’). Because FDA received objections to certain provisions of the final rule within this timeframe, the affected provisions are stayed pending final FDA action on the objections. 

“Yogurt makers have been waiting 40 years for the FDA to update and modernize the yogurt standard of identity,” says Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association. “The FDA is telling us to keep waiting, and threw in a whole lot of uncertainty, to boot.” 

Last July, IDFA forcefully objected to FDA’s final rule to amend and modernize the standard of identity for yogurt. In December, IDFA sent a letter to the acting commissioner for FDA reiterating a request for a hearing with FDA to resolve the industry’s objections, along with providing manufacturers sufficient time for compliance. 

“After eight months of waiting, FDA issued a notice staying certain provisions of the yogurt standard of identity final rule,” says Dykes. “IDFA was able to leverage unique formal rulemaking procedures available to the dairy industry to object and, ultimately, prompt a stay of certain provisions that are detrimental to our industry. Without this lever, an impractical final rule would have gone into effect, damaging yogurt makers, throwing retail establishments into confusion and limiting choice for consumers. While a stay is helpful at this stage, IDFA’s efforts to reform the yogurt standard of identity will continue into an inexplicable fifth decade.”

Here's additional background on the FDA notice that was published in the Federal Register:  

1. Stayed Provisions: FDA is staying all provisions to which objections were filed.

2. Effects of Stays: However, because the 1981 yogurt standard of identity final rule remains in effect, the stays themselves do not necessarily allow yogurt to be formulated in a way consistent with IDFA’s proposed modifications to the rules. Specifically, consistent with the 1981 rule:

• Cream may not be added after culturing (if added, it must be included in the culturing process).
• The overall 3.25% minimum milkfat requirement remains in effect.
• Ultrafiltered milk may not be used as a basic dairy ingredient (though it may be used as an optional dairy ingredient).
• For titratable acidity (TA), there is currently no requirement in effect. This is because the 1981 rule established a TA requirement, but it was stayed after an objection was filed in 1982. The 2021 rule established a different TA requirement, but this too has now been stayed.

3. Enforcement Discretion: FDA has exercised enforcement discretion to allow the following, consistent with IDFA’s requests: (1) addition of vitamin D at a level of 10% DV per RACC; (2) addition of non-nutritive sweeteners (without requiring a nutrient content claim); and (3) addition of bulky flavoring ingredients (e.g., coconut) that increase the total fat level above 3 grams per RACC, as long as milkfat is 3 grams or less per RACC and the product is labeled to reflect the addition of the flavor (e.g., “low fat yogurt with coconut”). The enforcement discretion is in effect until FDA decides if a hearing is justified and issues a notice accordingly.

4. Hearing: FDA has not yet determined whether it will grant a hearing or make any modifications to the final rule.

5. Compliance Date: FDA does not comment on the compliance date timeline once final determinations have been made on the stayed provisions. The non-stayed provisions in the 2021 final rule remain in effect and the compliance date is still Jan. 1, 2024.

Expo West 2022: Progress with Plant-Based, Dairy-Style Products

 

Anaheim, Calif., welcomed back Natural Products Expo West this week, after sending everyone home two years when the pandemic entered our lives and forever changed us…or maybe not. Expo, which continues through Saturday, has been busier than ever and most folks are not wearing a mask. Proof of vaccination or a negative covid test are required to enter any expo-related spaces. I must admit, on the first day, when only select halls were open, the aisles were so packed, it was hard to move. I wore my mask and also left after awhile as it was an unpleasant experience. It was better the next day when all halls were open. The positive news is that the industry is booming and there’s a lot of activity taking place. 

In fact, during the past two years, many manufacturers took the time to focus, prioritize and invest. There were 2,750 exhibitors this year with 625 first timers. Like with many expos, I sampled, selectively. It was no surprise that the dominant theme was plant based (not CBD), sometimes to the point of being humorous. (Think plant-based ketchup!) 

I do agree with what Andrew Fleming, senior vice president at Acosta said during the opening keynote session. “Everything starts here and blossoms and grows out of here.”

Here are five plant-based products that caught my eye on the show floor. 

CHKP Foods is rolling out chickpea-based yogurt. Each flavor—Blueberry, Plain, Strawberry and Vanilla-- provides 5 to 6 grams of protein per 5.3-ounce cup, which is one of its marketing features. This sets it apart from other plant-based yogurt-style products made from coconut or oats. The product is 100% vegan, gluten free and non-GMO. Plain has no sugars. The others have 8 grams or less of total sugars, which come from the fruit and real sugar. Monkfruit extract helps keep the product sweet without contributing calories.  

The product also comes with a story. The founders are Middle East natives who grew up with chickpeas as a staple food. They always admired the taste, versatility and nutritiousness of these plant-based powerhouses. They have set out to use chickpeas to craft dairy-free products that are not “alternatives” to dairy, rather they are just another delicious, nutritious choice to be made without sacrifice or compromise. 

Forager Project, which describes itself as an organic plant-based creamery, is entering the kids’ space with cashewmilk-based yogurt in 3.2-ounce pouches. It contains probiotics and is fortified with calcium and vitamins A, D and B12. 

There were way too many plant-based ice creams at Expo. Smart marketers know that to compete in this space, you must differentiate. The world does not need another plant-based vanilla ice cream. One way to differentiate is with creative novelties and desserts. Revolution Gelato now offers plant-based gelato pies. They are debuting in Turtle and Pumpkin flavors. 

There were also way too many plant-based cheeses. To a cheese aficionado like me, most don’t even pass the smell test. One company stands out because it’s a dairy. 

Saputo Dairy USA is bringing its range of Vitalite branded vegan-certified, dairy-free cheese alternatives to the U.S. marketplace. The launch of the Vitalite brand into the States follows the success it has had in the dairy-free category in the U.K. since 2003. The retail line includes mozzarella-style shreds and slices, cheddar-style shreds and slices, parmesan-style grated topping and cream cheese-style spread.

Brad Panarese, director of U.S. marketing and brand management told me last night at a media tasting event, “It was time to come to the U.S. market.” 

Dairies making non-dairy options of dairy foods that they excel in tend to have an upper hand in this space. They understand the science and process behind making the real deal, especially cheese. 

The final concept that stood out is functional beverages, a space dairies need to get into now. Pop & Bottle, which has the tagline of “a new way to latte,” is rolling out organic shelf-stable coffee and tea lattes made with either oats or almonds. 

The innovation does not stop there. The beverages include functional ingredients, such as antioxidants, adaptogens and even marine-based collagen. (The latter is why the drinks are labeled dairy free and not vegan.)  

In early February I featured Lifeway Foods’ new Lifeway MSHRM Oat line. This is another example of a dairy making a dairy-free product. The new line of adaptogenic functional mushroom beverages is the latest addition to the company’s extensive portfolio of cultured oat beverages. In addition to containing 10 live and active probiotic cultures plus heart-healthy beta-glucans, the new product line features a variety of functional mushrooms and adaptogens, and will be offered in three unique flavor combinations. They are:

Calm: This reishi mushroom and vanilla flavored drink is designed to decrease stress and anxiety while boosting mood

Support: This is a blend of adaptogenic mushrooms and aronia berry for immune support

Focus: This drink is formulated with the stress-reducing adaptogens in Lion’s Mane mushroom, and L-Theanine from green tea, turmeric and ginger to relax and boost your mood

“The release of our Lifeway MSHRM Oat comes at a time when consumers are seeking out innovative, functional beverages that taste great and include ingredients at the forefront of health research,” said Julie Smolyansky, CEO. “With so much focus on the mental health crisis and the promising research around functional mushroom ingredients, I’m proud to offer these wellness options for everyone to enjoy and add to their self-care toolkits.”

I really wish such functional beverages were made with dairy proteins.  

Speaking of dairy, the “real” dairy message from the expo floor is doing dairy properly. Innovators are jumping on the grass-fed, regenerative agriculture movement. That’s because it is the right thing to do. In fact, there’s a non-dairy ice cream player that now sells grass-fed dairy ice cream.

I am happy to report that dairy is alive at Expo West. I will continue to feature new dairy innovations from expo over the next few weeks. There were MANY! 

Feeling Anxious? Here’s Some Good Dairy Foods News.

 

It’s been one of those insane weeks…and it was a short work week in a short month. Let’s pray for the world and its people.  

I hope you can find some comfort in these words of wisdom from a friend.  

The past is where depression and regret live (thinking about what we wished we had done).

The future is where stress and anxiety live (worrying about what we have to do or what's going to happen).

The present is the safest place we can be. That’s why we should be in the present and appreciate the now.

And I hope this information shared by the National Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association keeps you motivated to produce some of the best-tasting, most-nutritious and economical foods in the world. This is important during the current inflation crisis. 

Source: National Milk Producers Federation

The most recent Consumer Price Index is reporting the fastest retail price increases in costs in 40 years, with a hot economy and tight supply chains pushing up everything from cars to coffee. When consumers and media outlets focus their frustration, it tends to be on the prices that are most widely noticed. Gasoline is the best example. What other product routinely posts its price on big signs next to highways? 

A gallon of milk is another one, as it is a product that is in 94% of households. You can safely assume that a big part of the consuming public knows exactly what milk costs and notices when it rises.

Source: International Dairy Foods Association

This is the most recent year-over-year Consumer Price Index covering overall inflation, food and beverage inflation, and dairy categories. A gallon of whole milk—currently the most popular variety in a jug--is going up, but it is in line with other foods and beverages and lower than overall inflation. Subcategories fare even better. Cheese costs to consumers have barely budged. Ice cream remains an affordable treat. And yogurt, butter, etc., remain compelling choices of affordable, high-quality nutrition.

So what’s going on with the inflation gap? A few things, according to the National Milk Producers Federation. For starters, dairy supply chains tend to be more local and predominantly domestic, meaning some factors driving price gains in imported goods don’t apply. Dairy farmers have also done a great job of keeping markets adequately supplied, even in a year of record dairy export sales.

Source: International Dairy Foods Association

Here is a positive message that needs to be communicated to consumers: Dairy is a place to find value. 

I like to think we have learned a lot since the onset of the pandemic. And one of those things is to not take anything for granted. Every day is a gift. Every smile is a gift. Affordable, delicious and nutritious dairy foods are a gift. They are not something to be taken for granted these days.

To keep dairy products relevant to the evolving consumer, I encourage you to attend the International Dairy Foods Association’s Ice Cream Technology Conference and Yogurt & Cultured Innovation Conference on March 29 and 30. Watch this quick VIDEO for an overview. Link on the banners on this page for detailed information. 

The Powerful Pint is Fueling Ice Cream Innovations for Summer 2022

 

After escaping my home in Chicago to attend Dairy Forum a few weeks ago in Palm Desert, Calif., and then the Winter Fancy Food Show this past week in Las Vegas, I have major spring fever! So, let’s talk ice cream and think about warm summer days. 

The Fancy Food Show, which is produced by the Specialty Food Association, had more than 800 exhibiting companies. The prominent theme of the show was comfort foods with a twist. These products speak to consumers who continue to seek new, yet familiar experiences at home amid the ongoing pandemic. This is fueling innovation in ice cream. 

What makes a food special? The $170.4 billion specialty food industry encompasses foods and beverages that are of the highest grade, style or quality. Their specialty nature includes attributes such as uniqueness, exotic origin, particular processing (and often an intentional lack thereof), design, limited supply, unusual application/use, compelling packaging or channel of distribution/sale. 

Smaller pack size—such as the pint—helps make ice cream special. Pints have been a powerful package size in the world of ice cream for the past decade. They command a premium and invite trial without the commitment to quart or half-gallon container. 

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. 

Pints help ice cream manufacturers overcome formulation challenges associated with adding lots of inclusions, especially variegates and fruit sauces that impact freezing temperature and product integrity over shelf life. This is something Ben & Jerry’s taught the ice cream industry when the brand started packing in chunks, chips, swirls and all types of flavorful ingredients that could cause the aerated ice cream mixture to collapse in a larger-sized container that would go in and out of the home freezer for multiple eating occasions.  

Pints allow for unique formulations, such as crispy layers, solid fudge tops and cores of goodies. Pints also make sense for limited-edition, special-batch and seasonal concepts. Short-time offerings create an urgency to purchase. When they come in a smaller-sized package, the consumer is often more willing to buy and bring home. There’s less of a commitment. In their mind, it’s a tasting, a sampling event. 

What is it about limited-time-offerings? It’s classic supply and demand. Shoppers recognize if they don’t purchase the product when it hits the store shelf, it may not be available the next shopping trip. They are popular because they allow consumers to be adventurous. This suggests that smaller package size may make the most sense for really innovative flavor combinations.  

Marketers must never forget that with date-specific products, for example, Valentine’s Day (don’t forget, it’s this Monday), the day after comes the discounts. That’s because consumers are ready to move on to the next big event. 

As mentioned, the Winter Fancy Food Show had numerous frozen desserts being showcased. Most were in pints. 

Little Jasmine introduced its U.S.-produced Brown Sugar Milk Tea Boba Ice Cream made with real boba imported from Taiwan. 

Heinlein Foods USA Inc., Miami, debuted its new Karinat frozen yogurt, which comes in Berry, Dulce de Leche, Greek and Passion Fruit flavors. In addition to pints, there are 4-ounce single-serve cups. 

Gelato Festival, a company that collaborates with chefs around the world to develop gelato concepts for its cafes in Europe and Los Angeles, is entering the retail pint business. Its debut dairy product is La Dolce Vita, a chocolate hazelnut flavor. There are also some vegan oat options. 

Marco Sweets & Spices, a New York-based craft ice cream start-up, showcased its culinary-inspired ice cream flavors rooted in a love for travel that first debuted in summer 2020.

The initial launch was five flavors, and since, three more have been added. All celebrate diverse, global ingredients. The company was founded to pay homage to beloved flavors from around the world and transport them from plate to pint. Crafted with epicureans in mind, each variety of Marco ice cream skillfully layers flavors, including fragrant spices sourced from Brooklyn Spice Company, bringing dimension and depth to every bite. 

The initial five flavors were: Aztec Chocolate (rich chocolate with cinnamon, ancho chile and chile de arbol), Ginger Dreamsicle (tart orange and sweet cream with a hint of spicy, bright ginger and rounded out with floral cardamom), Spicy PB Caramel (peanut butter base accented with ribbons of salted caramel and a touch of heat from chile de arbol and Aleppo pepper), Thai Coco-Lime (creamy coconut and tangy lime with a subtle smokey heat from gochugaru chili powder) and Vanilla Chai (traditional vanilla with the comforting flavors of a cup of chai, including cinnamon, ginger, fennel, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and fragrant Madagascar vanilla). 

The three new additions are: Moroccan Honey Nut (honey with almonds and warm Moroccan spices), Turkish Mocha (bold, complex coffee blend with cardamom and chocolate flakes) and Provencal Strawberry (strawberries and cream with notes of lavender and anise).  

Walpole Creamery was established in 2006 in Walpole, N.H., and only until the past few years limited distribution to New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Its award-winning ice cream starts with local fresh milk from 200-plus year old family-owned Crescent Farm, located only three miles away. Milk from the farm’s Jersey cows give Walpole Creamery’s house-made Sweet Cream base mix a 1% boost in milk fat over Holstein milk. That rich, creamy base mix is one of the company’s most popular flavors.  

Some of the creamery’s more unique flavors are: Caramel Cashew Chip (caramel ice cream laced with the salty crunch of cashews, and dark chocolate chunks), Fijan Ginger (sweet cream base with sweetly hot ginger) and Udder Joy (coconut ice cream with chocolate chunks and crunchy almonds). 

Beyond Fancy Food exhibitors, Wells Enterprises rolled out limited-edition Halo Top Devil’s Food Cake just in time for Valentine’s Day. (Reminder, again, it is this Monday!) The brand turned this classic decadent dessert into an indulgent frozen pint made with chocolate light ice cream, a white icing swirl and chocolate cake pieces. With just 360 calories per pint and an impressive 19 grams of protein per pint, it’s a loveable treat. 

Southern supermarket chain Publix has seven new limited-edition premium ice cream flavors (in quarts) that will only be available until May. They are: Bananas Foster (banana-flavored ice cream with a brown sugar rum-flavored swirl), Hazelnut Amaretto Biscotti (rich chocolate hazelnut-flavored ice cream swirled with amaretto-flavored cookie crumbles and dark chocolate flakes), Irish Crème Salted Caramel (Irish crème-flavored ice cream with a rich caramel sea salt swirl and caramel truffles), Maple Tiramisu (tiramisu-flavored ice cream with an espresso-flavored caramel swirl, studded with chocolatey espresso flakes and maple-flavored candy bits), New Orleans Caramel Praline (brown sugar ice cream with swirls of thick caramel and crunchy praline pecans), Peanut Butter Pie (peanut butter cheesecake-flavored ice cream with swirls of Mackinac peanut butter cookie ribbons and chocolate-flavored pieces) and Strawberry Shortcake (buttercream-flavored ice cream swirled with ribbons of strawberry-flavored sauce and layered with squares of soft shortcake).

Swedish better-for-you snacks brand Nick’s is rolling out six new light ice cream pints in the U.S. They are: Campfire S’mörgs (marshmallow ice cream with chocolate chunks and graham crackers), Hazelnöt Kram (hazelnut ice cream mixed with chocolate chunks), Raspbär Swirl (vanilla ice cream swirled with tart raspberries and chocolate, Rocky Fjord (chocolate ice cream, nuts and marshmallows), Strawbär Cheesecake (cheesecake ice cream mixed with strawberries and graham crackers) and Swedish Munchies (vanilla and chocolate ice cream with chunks of cookie dough and brownies). Nick’s light ice cream contains nominal net carbs, no added sugars and 260 to 420 calories per pint.

Ben & Jerry’s is growing its popular Topped line, which was introduced a year ago and features a fudgy ganache layer across the top of every pint of ice cream. Each Topped flavor provides all the chunks and swirls ice cream aficionados expect. The ganache is so abundant that the brand suggests that the best way to eat any of the Topped flavors is by using a fork to break through the ganache and mixing the chunks into the layers below. The two new varieties are Chocolate Milk & Cookies and Dirt Cake. Both include a milk chocolatey version of the ganache Topped layer--the original line featured either a dark or white chocolatey ganache—along with a chocolate cookie swirl affectionately dubbed “fairy dust.” Topped Dirt Cake is modeled after the childhood dirt cake dessert and includes a vanilla pudding ice cream base that is covered with enough cookie crumbs to bring back those days of youth.

Hudsonville Ice Cream and Little Debbie have collaborated to put a cold, creamy twist on classic snack cakes. These two family-owned brands introduced seven new ice cream flavors at Walmart stores on February 1st. The flavors are: Cosmic Brownies (brownie batter ice cream filled with mini rainbow chips and brownie pieces), Honey Buns (honey bun-flavored ice cream with glazed honey bun pieces and a sweet cinnamon swirl), Nutty Bars (peanut butter ice cream swirled with chocolatey waffle cone pieces and a thick fudge swirl), Oatmeal Creme Pies (vanilla creme ice cream with soft oatmeal cookie pieces and a hint of molasses), Strawberry Shortcake Rolls (white cake ice cream with yellow cake pieces and a tart strawberry swirl), Swiss Rolls (chocolatey cake ice cream with chocolate cake pieces and a swirl of whipped cream) and Zebra Cakes (white cake ice cream with yellow cake pieces and a milk chocolate fudge swirl). 

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream brought back Dolly Parton’s flavor—Strawberry Pretzel Pie—in celebration of her upcoming book and companion album: Run, Rose, Run. The limited-edition flavor first made its debut online in 2020 and sold out in minutes. 

Upstart ice cream company Frutero recently launched an exclusive flavor with delivery service GoPuff, a testament to the flavor innovation in the category. The new Tangerine n’ Cream flavor join Frutero’s lineup of other tropical ice cream flavors such as Mango, Passionfruit, Guava and more, but is only available through GoPuff. Frutero is on a mission to make everyday a tropical getaway.

Tropical getaway, now that sounds so nice this time of year. Happy Valentine’s weekend. Love, love, love.  

Research Shows Taste Scoops Health in Better-for-You Ice Cream.

 

With blizzards having blanketed more than half of the U.S., during the past two weeks, it seems like a good time to start thinking about summer…and ice cream! While most companies are already in production, and some even in distribution, of their summer 2022 rollouts, here’s something to think about as you brainstorm on future innovations. 

Research published in the Journal of Dairy Science on Nov. 8, 2021, on “Consumer perception of ice cream and frozen desserts in the ‘better-for-you’ category,” identified labeling and sensory preferences among today’s ice cream consumers. 

The research team spearheaded by Lauren Sipple, then a student at North Carolina State University and now a PhD student in food science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, conducted an online survey (n=1,051) of ice cream and frozen dessert consumers, followed by consumer acceptance testing of commercial better-for-you frozen dairy desserts. Consumers of better-for-you frozen desserts (n=578) completed various exercises to identify the attributes that drive purchase of better-for-you frozen desserts. This helped determine the attributes all frozen dessert consumers (n=1,051) perceived to make a frozen dessert better-for-you and which stabilizers or emulsifiers were most attractive on an ice cream or frozen dessert label. 

A consumer acceptance test (n=186) was also conducted using four commercial vanilla-flavored frozen dairy desserts made with different sweetening systems (sugar, sucralose and acesulfame K, monk fruit and allulose, and stevia and erythritol). Half of consumers were primed or informed with the sweeteners and basic nutritional information for the frozen desserts before tasting, and the other half of consumers evaluated samples blinded, where they were only informed that they were tasting a vanilla-flavored frozen dessert. 

Findings indicate that sweetener type and base (dairy vs. plant) were the most important attributes to better-for-you consumers when selecting a better-for-you frozen dessert (n=578). For all ice cream and better-for-you dessert consumers (n=1,051), sweetener-related claims (naturally sweetened, reduced sugar, no added sugar), along with “all natural” and a short ingredient list, were the top attributes that contributed to perception of a “healthier” frozen dessert. 

When better-for-you frozen desserts were tasted by consumers, purchase intent decreased after tasting, suggesting that frozen desserts made with natural non-nutritive sweeteners did not meet consumer expectations. Flavor of better-for-you frozen desserts remains more important than perceived healthiness. 

“Consumers perceive frozen desserts, even those in the better-for-you category, as an indulgence,” says Sipple. “Frozen dessert manufacturers should focus on naturally sweetened, dairy-based desserts with minimal sweetener-related flavor defects when designing products for the better-for-you category.”

You can access the entire paper HERE.

Source: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams 

And don’t forget, February 5, 2022, is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Nothing like a scoop or two with the morning cup of java. 

When it comes to vanilla, location matters. According to custom research conducted by Synergy Flavors in March 2021, 68% of consumers said vanilla from Madagascar--the top vanilla-producing country--was the most appealing when used in foods and beverages. It is described as sweet, creamy, rich, tobacco-like, balsamic and with a spicy back note. 

Other leading vanilla-producing countries include Indonesia, Mexico, Tahiti and Uganda. Indonesia is the second-largest producer of vanilla and 51% of consumers said the flavor is appealing when used in foods and beverages, according to Synergy’s research. The flavor is described as less sweet and creamy than Madagascar vanilla, with woody and slight smoky notes.  

Mexico is the third-largest producer of vanilla. Its flavor was preferred by 47% of consumers. The aroma and flavor of Mexican vanilla is described as sharp, sweet and spicy, but lacking the body that comes from Madagascar vanilla. In fourth place is Tahiti, which produces a distinct perfumed floral and anisic, less intense vanilla character. And in fifth place, Uganda produces a milk chocolate, early and bold-sweet vanilla. 

Choose your vanilla wisely!