Ice cream innovation – Quiz

1.  Read the text and answer the questions. 

1. How do you get the right texture in ice cream? To get the right texture when making ice cream, you need to get the balance right between ice, fat and air.

2. How long can it take to create a new ice cream?
It can take up to two years from testing a new frozen dessert product to it being available to consumers. 

3. True or False?  Rising temperatures are the only reason people are buying more  ice cream.
False. The pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis mean people are reaching for indulgent but affordable treats they can enjoy at home.

4. What new flavors and ingredients can we expect in the future?
We can expect more original flavors, including spices, and more plant-based ice cream, sorbets and low-calorie choices.

5. True or False?  The next global trend in ice cream will be smaller portion sizes.
True. Portions will shrink but the quality will be higher, according to Elsebeth Baungaard, portfolio manager at Tetra Pak.

2. Choose the appropriate words or phrases to complete the following sentences.

1. When we were children, we were allowed one biscuit as a treat after dinner.

2. My tastes have evolved over time. I prefer salty snacks to sweet treats now.  

3. Try to reach for an apple rather than a chocolate bar when you’re hungry.

4. We decided to pay a little extra for the premium seats. The view of the stage was much better.

5. The tech company dominates the market because of its innovation and ability to adapt to global trends.   

Ice cream innovation

treat is centuries old, but our tastes and consumer habits are evolving . How is the ice cream production process changing, and who is driving this change?

Making ice cream is a time-consuming process. While the recipe is simple – milk, sugar and fat, plus flavors and colors – ice cream has a complex chemistry. Getting the balance right between ice, fat and air is important if the ice cream is to have the right texture . To achieve this, the ingredients need to be mixed and heated, then cooled and frozen – a process that takes time and uses a lot of energy. Designers and engineers are working to improve the production process with new specialized equipment to make it increasingly automated . For now, however, even with the help of robots and 3D printers, it can take up to two years from testing a new frozen dessert product to it being available to consumers. 

And demand is only going up. According to the food packaging company Tetra Pak, more than 25 billion liters of ice cream were eaten worldwide in 2021. While the US and China are the biggest consumers, data from NielsenIQ shows that people in the UK bought 28% more ice cream during the UK’s record-breaking summer compared to a year earlier. Clearly, rising temperatures can explain why some people are buying more ice cream, but it’s not the only explanation. The pandemic has seen people reaching for pleasures they can enjoy at home, which include eating indulgent foods. And worries about the cost-of-living crisis could have a similar effect, as even a premium ice cream is an affordable treat.

So, what new things can we expect on a stick or in a cone ? Consumers of all ages buy ice cream, but it is millennial consumers who are driving interest in more original flavors, including spices. Dairy still dominates, but plant-based ice cream , sorbets and low-calorie choices are a growing part of the frozen dessert market. But, according to Elsebeth Baungaard, portfolio manager at Tetra Pak, the next global trend will be less about innovation and more about portion size . “I’m sorry to say it’s simply shrinking “, she says. “But the quality will be higher.”