This document discusses trends in the dessert and ice cream category. It analyzes opportunities in areas like chilled, canned, and frozen desserts as well as ice cream. Each section covers a different trend, analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Some highlighted trends include indulgent ice cream cakes, "free-from" ingredients, smaller portion sizes, and frozen yogurt. The document also notes that Europe accounts for the majority of new dessert and ice cream launches globally.

1. Consumer Insight
Consumer and Innovation
Trends in Desserts and Ice
Cream
Category Series. Published June 2013
Opportunities in chilled, canned, and frozen desserts; dessert
mixes; and ice cream

2. Contents
1. Introduction
• Definition and scope
• TrendSights framework
2. Sensory & Indulgence
• SWOT analysis
• Natural ingredients
• Savory flavors
3. Health & Wellness
• SWOT analysis
• "Free-from" desserts
• Smaller sizes
• Frozen yogurt
4. Individualism & Expression
• SWOT analysis
• Customizable
• Male preferences
5. Comfort & Uncertainty
• SWOT analysis
• Locally grown and seasonal ingredients
• Nostalgia
Please click on the section of interest
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6. Sustainability & Ethics
• SWOT analysis
• Edible packaging
• Carbon-neutral production
7. Easy & Affordable
• SWOT analysis
• Restaurant quality for at-home
consumption
• Portable desserts
8. Smart & Connected
• SWOT analysis
• Online and social media presence
• Ben & Jerry's
9. Evolving Landscapes
• SWOT analysis
• Catering for aging populations
10. Conclusions
11. Appendix
12. Meet the Author
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3. Introduction
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Europe is the leading region for dessert and ice cream launches, buoyed by high demand
Source: Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics3
Global: new dessert and ice cream product launches, by region, 2008–12
Global dessert and ice cream launches are in decline
Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics tool captured 4,358 dessert and ice cream products launched globally in 2012. Europe
accounted for 58% of global launches, a proportion that increased from 42% in 2008. The second most popular region, Asia Pacific,
witnessed a decline in proportional launches, from 29% in 2008 to 18% in 2012. Meanwhile, total global launches fell in the five-year
period, a decline that can be attributed to such factors as the global downturn, increased production costs, and supply and demand
mismatches.
Numberofstock-keepingunits

4. Sensory & Indulgence
Ice Cream cakes offer a new level of indulgence to the
traditional creamy dessert
Ice cream cakes are essentially ice-cream-shaped or layered into a
cake, combined with additional ingredients such as sponge, cookies, or
frosting. US-based ice cream chain Baskin-Robbins has a successful
line of ice cream cakes and considers this to be a key area of
opportunity for global growth going forward. Over 13 million ice cream
cakes were sold across Baskin-Robbins stores in 20121. With cake
prices ranging from $25 to $300 in Baskin-Robbins stores, ice cream
cakes add significant value to a standard ice cream product. In the CPG
sector, elaborate ice cream cakes are appearing on supermarket
shelves, such as the Coop Panna e Cioccolato cake from Italy, which
includes a mixture of cream- and chocolate-flavored gelato ice creams,
sold in a transparent plastic tray.
Ice cream cakes present a novel take on traditional ice cream
Source: Product Launch Analytics; [1]businessinsider.com4
Ice cream cakes on display at a Baskin-
Robbins outlet, US
Creambell Tropical Paradise
– premium ice vream vake,
India
Chocolate-covered ice cream
cake with pineapple flavoring
and cashew nuts.
Coop Panna e Cioccolato ice
cream cake
Italy
Cream- and chocolate-
flavored frozen dessert.

5. Health & Wellness
Introduction: healthly indulgence is a growing consumer requirement in desserts and ice
cream
Key themes in Health & Wellness
"Free-from" ingredients claims
Consumers are demanding foods that are free from
certain ingredients either for allergy, intolerance, weight
management, or other health reasons. Many products
now contain free-from claims such as "no dairy" so that
consumers can eat dessert or ice cream that meets
personal dietary requirements.
Smaller portion sizes
Over a period of time, portion sizes gradually increased
across many food and drink products. Concern over the
healthiness of such a move to consumers has prompted
mini versions of desserts to appear that address
consumer health demands.
Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurts offer a lower fat alternative to ice cream.
While they have been on the market for a while, their
popularity is growing, particularly seen in the expansion
of frozen yogurt stores, as consumers see their appeal as
a healthier dessert product.
Source: Datamonitor analysis5
Mega-trends: degree of relevance to desserts and ice
cream
Easy &
Affordable
Individualism
& Expression
Health &
Wellness
Comfort &
UncertaintyEvolving
Landscapes
Sensory &
Indulgence
Sustainability
& Ethics
Smart &
Connected

6. Individualism & Expression
Taste, healthiness, and price are key factors for kids' desserts
Kids' desserts account for a small proportion of overall
launches
Less than 3% of dessert launches globally were specifically
designed for children in 2012, a percentage that has not risen
above 5% in the past five years. However, this amounts to over
100 new stock-keeping units a year, showing that manufacturers
are customizing a small but significant proportion of their product
launches to cater for the specific needs of the children's market.
Source: [1] Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics; [2] OnePoll survey, June 20116
Child enjoyment is considered the most important dessert
attribute
In a survey conducted in the UK by OnePoll2, 77% of respondents
said that an important consideration for choosing desserts for their
children was that they enjoyed the taste. The product's
healthiness was the next most popular response, only a
percentage point less popular, followed by price, which was
chosen by much fewer of consumers, at 68%. This highlights the
importance for dessert manufacturers to focus on getting the taste
of the product right above all else, so that it suits the palates of
children. In addition, parents want their children to eat healthily, so
will actively look for healthy ingredients in desserts designed for
children.Global: dessert and ice cream launches that are for
children as a proportion of total launches, 2008–121