A healthier scoop? Ice cream NPD expands with “guilt-free” offerings

06 Aug 2019 --- Ice cream NPD with health claim offerings has diversified, with many companies marketing their products as being less “guilty” than traditional high-fat and high-sugar varieties. Additionally, brands such as Coconuts Organic, which manufactures an organic and vegan ice cream, argue that despite their ice cream’s high-calorie count, the products are still better options than diet versions as they are more natural and less processed. However, low-calorie options are still thriving.

“The point with our ice cream is that we don’t hide anything. It is ice cream, it contains sugar and yes, it includes fat. If you’re going to eat ice cream – eat the best you can, and enjoy it! We want people to choose natural ingredients that have been grown rather than lab-created. That’s what we mean by guilt-free,” Cecily Mills, Founder of Coconuts Organic, tells NutritionInsight.

Magnum's vegan ice cream bars use a pea protein base. Only 44 percent of US consumers consider flavor to be the main influencer when buying desserts and ice cream (Innova Market Insights consumer survey, 2018), which suggests that they may be prioritizing other factors such as nutrition. There has been a 45 percent average annual growth in dessert and ice cream launches with a vegan claim (Global 2014-2018).

Other plant-based ice creams have been widespread, with Magnum launching two vegan versions of its ice cream bars in Sweden and Finland last summer. The products use a pea protein base and are covered in dark chocolate. Häagen-Dazs also has a range of dairy-free ice cream, although interestingly, the company has not chosen to use a vegan claim. 

Additionally, not all vegan ice creams are plant-based anymore, with Perfect Day’s limited edition run of three flavors paving the way for animal-free dairy ice cream. The company uses a genetically modified microflora to ferment plant sugar into whey and casein, the proteins naturally found in milk. Ryan Pandya, Perfect Day CEO and Co-Founder, has previously told FoodIngredientsFirst that mitigating environmental impact was a major driver for creating the product.

Coinciding with the vegan trend is the clean label or natural trend. “It is all about natural ingredients, as consumers become more and more aware of what they eat and reading labels. Additionally, the non-dairy segment of the market is set to absolutely boom. We’re behind the chilled dairy in this area, but it is just a matter of time,” Mills continues.Reduced calorie options are also popular, often having low-fat and low-sugar claims. 

The growing high-protein platform and the natural trend are two sides of the same coin, according to Mills. “The fact that ice cream is moving in a healthier direction is great. The challenge for ice cream is always to balance healthy with luxury and indulgence. It’s exciting that different, smaller brands are coming into the sector to offer consumers alternatives to the stuff of old. No matter whether those brands are natural and organic products, like ours, or high-protein functional products, they make the category exciting,” she says.

The low-calorie market
Another subcategory active in the “healthy” ice cream market are products with reduced calories, fat or sugar. One in ten dessert and ice cream launches features a reduced sugar claim, according to Innova Market Insights (Global, 2018). Additionally “low-fat” and “no added sugar” were among the fastest-growing claims in H2 2018.

An example of this can be seen in the British company Graham’s The Family Dairy’s ice cream range, dubbed “Goodness.” The “Chocolate With Dulce De Leche” flavor features claims of “Contains 350 calories per tub. High in protein. Low in sugar. Made with milk and cream fresh from our dairy, we’re excited to have created an indulgent ice cream that you can enjoy without the guilt.”

Nightfood markets its ice cream as being sleep-friendly due to a lack of sleep-disruptive ingredients.Reducing sugar intake remains a top priority for consumers. In an Innova Consumer Lifestyle and Attitudes Survey (2018), nearly seven out of ten consumers across the countries surveyed (US, UK, France, Germany, China and Brazil) have reduced their sugar intake. This is particularly so among the over 55 age group, with consumers in France and Brazil the most likely to be reducing sugar in their diet.

Taking low-calorie ice cream a step further, Nightfood Inc. is marketing a range of ice creams as being “sleep-friendly” due to a removal or minimization of sleep-disruptive ingredients such as caffeine, sugars, excess fat and calories. The company says that this has made its recipes less likely to cause sleep disruption via lactose digestion issues, acid reflux and blood sugar spikes. Additionally, certain minerals and amino acids that claim to support sleep quality are added to the product. 

Unilever is also capitalizing on the healthy ice cream trend through its take on the treat, which features added probiotics. Each pint of the Culture Republick brand ice-cream contains three billion live active cultures, 400-500 calories, 16-18 grams of protein, 11-12 grams of fiber and no artificial sweeteners.

By Katherine Durrell

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