​Focus On Ice Cream: 11 February

By Niamh Leonard-Bedwell N.Leonard-Bedwell@thegrocer.co.uk 

Publishing: 11 February 2023
Advertising deadline: 27 January 2023
Submissions deadline: 20 January 2023

Like a lolly left too long in the sun, ice cream is a category that’s quickly changing shape. Snacking formats have been exploding across social media, the HFSS rules have prompted low sugar launches, and innovators are experimenting with plant-based alternatives. Plenty have found success, but which are capturing the public imagination best? How are vegan ice creams faring against their bigger dairy cousins? How are small portions doing compared to big tubs, especially given the cost of living crisis? In short, what shape will ice cream take in 2023?

Vegan vs dairy: With plant-based launches slowing down in some areas of grocery, what’s happening in ice cream? And how does it compare to the progress of dairy?

Market size: What’s the appetite for ice cream like as Brits experience increasingly hot summers? Where and when are shoppers choosing to eat ice cream?

Channels: How are on the go occasions affecting where shoppers buy their ice creams from? What can mainstream retailers do in terms of formats to gain share?

Cow-free dairy: Unilever revealed last year that it was working on ‘cow-free dairy’, with the potential for launches in its ice cream ranges. How could this and other technological developments reshape ice cream?

Innovations: We will profile 4 new products or ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each