Vanilla topped the list, with 84% popularity, with second and third going to mint chocolate chip (20%) and chocolate (18%).
Strawberry was rated third most popular flavor by just 14% of parlors, while ‘new kid on the block’ bubble gum was rated third favorite by 9% of parlors.
For new products, 36% of parlors said vegan ice creams (of various flavors) were their most significant new product varieties, followed by dairy free and reduced sugar at 5% each.
Weird and wonderful
The most unusual varieties sold by UK ice cream parlors included flavors such as Sea Buckthorn, new twists on established favorites such as Chilli Chocolate and Blue Banana, and the very unusual such as Chicken Sorbet (created for a local fried chicken restaurant) and Crabmeat (no explanation was supplied!).
“It is no surprise that Vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor. Why else would four of the ice cream parlors that responded to our survey sell just that one flavor?” said Zelica Carr, CEO of the Ice Cream Alliance, organizers of The Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show.
“However, the vast range of other flavors, lovingly devised, made and sold in our fast-expanding ice cream parlor sector is testament to the creativity of the industry. Also, our ice cream makers are extremely in tune with prevailing taste trends judging by the numbers producing ‘free from’ products such as vegan, dairy free and reduced sugar – as well as reduced calorie and gluten free.”
The Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show is held from February 11 to 13, 2020, at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate.
It is the only UK trade exhibition for the ice cream industry. For more information and to pre-register as a visitor go to www.ice-cream.org.
