Ice cream is the UK’s second favourite dessert when eating out and has a current market value of £605m in the out of home market. The report aims to highlight emerging trends and provides operators with top tips to help maximise their presence in the category.
According to a survey on over 1,000 consumers, nine out of ten (89%) people say they like to embellish their ice cream, with flavoured sauces (45%) and chocolate pieces (34%) being the most popular choices.
The classic choices of ice cream in a cone (52%) or scooped into a bowl (47%) rank as the top favourite serving styles. Vanilla (39%), strawberry (29%), and chocolate (29%) emerge as the top flavours chosen by consumers.
Danielle Griffiths, dessert's category lead at Nestlé Professional, said: “Ice cream isn't just about the treat; it's about the shared moments it creates. With group consumption surpassing solo indulgence, ice cream has become the catalyst for social connections. This emphasises the importance for operators to provide customers with the option to customise their frozen treats.
“By offering a diverse selection of toppings and sauces alongside classic flavours, operators can ensure that there's something for everyone. Toppings provide a great option to delight consumers and to charge a premium. In fact, we found that the main reasons that people would pay more for an ice cream when eating out is if it’s something they can’t create at home (30%), and its presentation/appearance (29%).”