Ice cream manufacturers are changing their recipes due to consumer demand for healthier treats
Kyiv • UNN
Because of the popularity of GLP-1 medications and demand for healthy food, ice cream manufacturers are reducing portion sizes, increasing protein content, and simplifying ingredients. Ice cream sales in the United States fell by 1.5%, but manufacturers are betting on low-calorie products.
Ice cream manufacturers may receive an additional boost to summer sales due to the rapid rise in temperatures, but behind the scenes they are preparing for a future in which consumers will look for fewer reasons to feel guilty about indulging in sweets. Reuters reports, UNN writes.
Details
The growing popularity of appetite-suppressing GLP-1 drugs, demand for healthier food, and increased attention to product ingredients are forcing manufacturers to reduce portion sizes, increase protein content in recipes, and simplify product formulations.
According to NielsenIQ, ice cream sales volumes in the United States fell by 1.5% year over year as of June 13, while a Boston Consulting Group study showed that people taking GLP-1 drugs had reduced their consumption of frozen treats by at least 10%.
At the same time, manufacturers see little evidence that consumers are giving up ice cream altogether. Instead, they are betting that shoppers will continue to indulge if treats contain fewer calories, more protein, and simpler ingredients.
For example, Ferrero-owned Blue Bunny reports high demand for its 150-calorie Mini Swirls and is reformulating products to remove ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, as well as artificial colors and flavors.
This trend reflects a broader challenge for the industry, as changing eating habits reshape consumers’ expectations of products they consider treats.
Rethinking treats
The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which owns the Magnum and Ben & Jerry's brands, has accelerated the development of products focused on healthy lifestyles, citing significant growth for the frozen Greek yogurt brand Yasso.
According to the manufacturer, Yasso has recorded average annual growth of about 20% over the past five years, while other brands in the group, including Breyers CarbSmart and Popsicle Sugar-Free, are especially popular among consumers taking GLP-1 drugs.
Consumers are increasingly seeking products that combine the enjoyment of a treat with such attributes as higher protein content, fewer calories, and controlled portion sizes. Magnum brands account for 26% of the $2.2 billion American healthy-lifestyle and functional ice cream segment.
According to Boston Consulting Group, about 16 million Americans are taking GLP-1 drugs, and this number is expected to grow substantially by the end of the decade. Food companies from Nestle to Conagra are reformulating their products as consumers seek more protein, fiber, and nutritional value.
For ice cream manufacturers, the challenge is to preserve its appeal as a treat while adapting to consumers who are increasingly considering nutritional value alongside taste.
Ferrero’s Halo Top brand, which aims to offer the same ice cream-eating experience with half the calories of leading competitors, has recorded double-digit percentage sales growth over the past two years. For the market as a whole, the figure was about 2.5%, according to Chicago-based market research company Circana.
Rather than reducing portion sizes, Halo Top said in response to an email inquiry that it prefers to combine "flavors you want to eat again and again with a good source of protein and fewer calories than traditional ice cream."
According to Circana, U.S. ice cream sales in monetary terms rose by approximately 2.8% over the past year. At the same time, NielsenIQ data showed that only the premium ice cream segment recorded growth in sales volume.
The trend toward healthier eating is not limited to the United States, prompting ice cream manufacturers to consider how to remain relevant amid global changes in eating habits.
Glacier, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of private-label products, reports growing demand for smaller portions, premium products, and low-calorie fruit ice cream, which align with consumers’ broader health and well-being goals.