Imagine eating ice cream that glows in the dark at a nightclub. Or imagine trying a scoop flavored with pickled garlic or extra protein. Ice cream companies around the world are making unusual products to attract customers in a difficult market.
Big ice cream brands like Magnum, Häagen-Dazs, and Baskin-Robbins compete with each other and with small shops that make ice cream by hand. At the same time, prices for important ingredients like milk, eggs, sugar, and chocolate have gone up. Energy costs for keeping ice cream frozen during storage and transport have also increased.
Companies are using new technology to lower costs and increase sales. For example, Magnum has put smart cameras inside thousands of store freezers. The cameras use artificial intelligence to check which products are sold and tell workers when to restock. Modern freezers are also 40 percent more energy efficient than freezers from 2010.
Companies are also looking to Asia for new ideas. In countries like China, Japan, and South Korea, ice cream is now a daily treat rather than just a summer snack. Makers there are trying strong flavors like pickled garlic, sesame, and even vodka. One new product in Europe, called Volcanics, has layers of ice cream with liquid caramel in the center.
Healthy ice cream is another growing trend. Many customers now want ice cream with extra protein to help them feel full longer. Some of these special items can be expensive, but companies believe that making new products all the time is the key to surviving rising prices and changing tastes.