Mar 28, 2020
By Arun Varma, VP – Sales & Marketing, AAK Kamani
The year 2020 is all about innovation across industries. With changing mind-sets, preferences and tastes of new age customers, brands of every sector have realised the need for offering novel and innovative products, with most using state-of-the-art technology and customer analysis for delivering beyond expectations.
The frozen dessert market is no exception to these changes and developments. In order to not only acquire and retain consumers, but to also ensure long-term loyalty and emerge as market leaders, manufacturers are embracing the idea of becoming more aware of top dessert trends and are offering products in accordance.
Here are some trends that are ruling the frozen dessert roost this year:
Customization
The primary trend this year rapidly flourishing within the frozen dessert market is that of customization. Customers today increasingly prefer ‘make it your way’ offerings, and thus, manufacturers are leaning towards the same. This trend is gradually replacing traditional and rigid menus, considering every consumer is different with distinct tastes. Some also have certain dietary or allergic restrictions, due to which this trend has garnered massive favourability not only amongst the consumer-base, but also manufacturers.
Innovative flavours
While traditional flavours like chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, butterscotch and several others continue to charm consumers, a large chunk has also shown openness to experiment with new, distinct and unconventional flavours in frozen desserts. Having realised this, manufacturers too are opting for fusion offerings by combining sweet with savoury (example – green tea, meat, taco, avocado, basil, wasabi and more) and are ensuring that they continue to reinvent their menu with personalised frozen desserts that cater to the dynamic palates of their target market.
Product accuracy/transparency
Today’s discerning and health-conscious consumers are steering away from artificial ‘diet’ offerings that claim to be nutritious and low on the calorie-count, and this is applicable to the frozen dessert space too. There is an increasing need for accurate packaging and product information given on the label, especially the transparency of ingredients mentioned. In fact, these frozen dessert producers are also shifting towards trending or popular health ingredients and natural sweeteners with functional and nutritional advantages to assure the customer of their offering contributing to a healthier lifestyle.
Frozen beverage desserts
Not only is a large chunk of consumers opting for unique flavours, but is also gradually preferring drinkable frozen desserts over traditional ice creams. Novel sorbet blended smoothies, thick shakes, iced coffees a.k.a. frappes with sauces like chocolate or caramel, and infused iced teas are now taking centre-stage in the market. These infused drinks are being created with delightful herbs, spices, or fruit chunks, and are also being marketed well to today’s open-minded consumers in a way that makes them as pleasurable as solid frozen desserts. Such innovative usage of ingredients coupled with ensuring the right texture for achieving uniqueness is what is making these frozen beverage desserts sell like hot cakes in the market today.
Protein-rich offerings
The frozen dessert market, realising the growing need for health-conscious consumers and fitness enthusiasts is catering to their needs by offering products that are rich in protein. This is in-line with supporting the ‘low carb’ dietary trend, which has taken the consumer base by storm, wherein frozen desserts are being loaded with protein, along with vitamins and minerals, and have minimal amounts of sugar. What makes them more appealing to customers is that not only are they packaged well, with a smooth and pleasing texture, but are also offered in diverse flavours (banana, mint, choco-chip, sea salt caramel, ice-cream cake and more), thereby going beyond conventionally healthy variants.