Did you know that Dairy Foods reported ice cream sales rose 1.4% in 2013? With consumers looking for ways to add inexpensive fun to their daily budgets and treat themselves without losing focus on health and wellness, the potential for ice cream sales growth in 2014 is hot.
Wellness Opportunities
Consumers are looking for products which are better for their health. However, most ice cream innovation has been centered on low fat or low sugar. There is opportunity to create mainstream products which offer a benefit like increased protein or increased fiber.
Protein
Following the success of high protein dairy products like Greek yogurts and Shamrock Farms’ high protein milk, voted Dairy Foods’ 2013 Best New Dairy Product, protein could transform ice cream for consumers. Developers can raise protein content by choosing milk based ingredients like milk protein isolates (EU) or whey protein concentrates (EU). Alternatively, protein could be added by choosing a non-dairy protein source like soy proteins (EU) added directly to the ice cream mix or formulated into a crunchy inclusion.
Milk proteins enable end product benefits like increased emulsification, whipping properties, water holding capacity and viscosity to enable a smoother texture over shelf life. In fact, addition of milk proteins may allow chemical emulsifiers to be formulated out for more natural ingredient lines.
However, the introduction of large amounts of certain milk proteins may negatively affect flavor. Increased lactose from milk powders will result in a sandy product texture or prevent the ice cream from freezing properly, so look for ingredients where the lactose has been removed or reduced. Soy proteins will need additional allergen labeling, and could potentially affect flavor of the finished product. As protein levels and types are manipulated be aware formula changes may move the end product away from the standard of identity for ice cream and into frozen dairy desserts.
Fiber
American diets continue to be low in fiber (EU) consumption with the average person consuming less than half of the recommendations. As dairy products are readily consumed they can be considered prime candidates for fiber fortification. Inulin, a fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), has been shown to increase calcium absorption. Trials in dairy products, like ice cream, show an increased creamy mouth feel even in low fat products, improved heat shock stability, and ability to lower sugar and fat to achieve “reduced” claims without reducing product quality. Additionally, resistant maltodextrin offers similar processing stability while increasing product fiber content.
Indulgence at Home
In January, the IRI MarketPulse reported that consumers are expected to reduce their restaurant dining by more than half in order to stretch family budgets. Consumers are looking at ways to bring the dining-out experience home in an affordable way. Ice cream and frozen novelties offer a unique platform to fill this gap.
Restaurant Desserts
Andrew Freeman & Co. predicts ice cream sandwiches will dominate the dessert space recently held by cupcakes and doughnuts. While novelty sales have been down in the recent past, developers can create an ice cream sandwich experience using cake or cookie-like inclusions in hard pack products, or utilize marketing with on-package directions to enable consumers to easily recreate fresh ice cream sandwiches at home. Alternatively, frozen novelty manufactures can look at creating gourmet ice cream sandwiches with upgraded bakery base and ice cream flavors.
Sweet and salty desserts, like salted caramel, remain on restaurant menus and can be included into ice cream blends using caramel variegates to create a swirl, or with caramel (EU) inclusions. As with all ice cream inclusions, developers will need to consider the inclusion stability in a high moisture environment over shelf life and develop the inclusion with the end texture in mind, whether it is coated to maintain a crunchy texture, or left unprotected to deliver a soft texture.
Trendy Tea
According to Mintel (EU), tea sales are on the rise. While some green tea frozen desserts have recently launched, there is room for more tea inspiration. One direction might be to create ice cream flavored with exotic tea extracts (EU) like chamomile (EU) or chai (EU).
Alternatively, developers can work with fruit purees (EU) and inclusions to create profiles matching “blueberry lemon scone, ”or “strawberry petit four” to transform ice cream into the perfect partner for tea time. Fruit purees or other inclusions tend to encourage lactose crystallization in ice cream. So make sure that ice cream maintains a creamy texture over shelf life by evaluating formula stabilizers including milk protein, gums (EU) (guar, locust bean, acacia), alginates (EU) (carrageenan), and gelatins (EU).
Chocolate
Chocolate (EU) continues to reign as the top flavor for new ice cream products. Restaurant chocolate desserts look to deliver chocolate in several textures and forms which can be replicated in ice cream using chocolate confections with various low temperature melting points. Dark chocolate offers consumers an antioxidant filled indulgence while giving the color queue of more chocolate flavor. Several ingredient suppliers are now offering chocolate flavored inclusions which offer benefits like low sugar or natural sugars. Alternatively, chocolate pieces sourced from a specific origin can create unique profiles and marketing opportunities.
Product Resources – North America
Textrion PROGEL 800 from DMV International
Arcon® F Soy Protein Concentrate from ADM
Fibersol®-2 from ADM
Fibersol®-2 AG from ADM
Caramel for Ice Cream from Nigay
Product Resources – Europe
Textrion PROGEL 800 from DMV International
Arcon® F Soy Protein Concentrate from ADM
Fibersol®-2 from ADM
Fibersol®-2 AG from ADM
Actilight® Products from Tereos Syral / Beghin-Meiji
Caramel for Ice Cream from Nigay
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