The company has prepared more than 100 novel products for the upcoming summer season that feature exclusive flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits. The launches will take place in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Norway, Denmark, Romania, Belarus, and Russia.
“We have built research and design deep into the DNA of our company and have ambitions to test and invent new products while upholding the highest standards of taste, quality, and nutritional value,” said Normunds Staņēvičs, CEO of Food Union, Europe.
“We prioritize sensory innovation and behavioral science to identify what consumers demand at a time when disruptive changes have increased the need for joy, comfort, and nutrition from trusted brands. Consumer-centered innovation will always be at the core of our product strategy and business model.”
Food Union said its research points to five key trends in 2020 products: flavor fusions and culinary complexity; guilt-free gourmandise; seasonal signatures pure to nature; delicious disruption; and plant-based alternatives.
In the first category, examples of its flavor fusions are Ekselence Macchiato, which mimics the experience of an espresso with a dash of frothy milk, available in Latvia; and Ekselence Mini Pistasj & Makroner, pistachio-flavored ice cream, covered in milk chocolate and sprinkled with chunks of macarons. Its mini Kaffe Latte variant, available in Norway, consists of coffee-flavored ice cream, dipped in coffee sauce and two layers of chocolate.
Gammeldags Flode, for the Danish market, is a bourbon vanilla ice cream with a coconut twist, dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with almonds and coconut flakes.
In Estonia, Premia a Pavlova Cake ice-cream in a small cone is being launched.
Under the guilt-free banner, Food Union is launching Lokki Ju, a salt caramel guilt-free ice cream in Norway, as well as a blueberry & lavender variant.
For the seasonal signatures trend, in Latvia, the company is introducing OM, a pear, lemon and ginger smoothie ice cream; Jattis, a vanilla-raspberry stick, available in Belarus; and Sarafanovo, a mango sorbet stick, for the Russian market.
‘Delicious disruption’ has led to a launch in Estonia, Tumehelbeke Snowflake, which is wrapped in a black waffle, as well as Premier, an ice cream with tutti-frutti flavor filled with popping stardust, which will be available in Denmark.
Fulg De Nea is a coconut ice cream in black cone, available in Romania, while Klasika is a peach-flavored ice cream with watermelon sprinkles, available in Lithuania. For the Norwegian market, Dobbel is a chocolate ice cream with sea salt crisps in the outer layer.
To cater to those looking for plant-based alternatives, Premier Is VegaNice is a vegan ice cream alternative cone with mint and chocolate ice cream, available in Denmark.