Protein or pickled garlic? What's new in ice cream
There's a constant battle in ice cream to come up with new flavours and to keep costs down.
At Magnum's research and development centre in the UK, scientists are creating new ice cream recipes and refining production methods. A standout creation is a glow-in-the-dark ice lolly launched in Ibiza, featuring vitamin B2 which glows under UV club lights. This novelty product, aimed at clubbers and festival-goers, highlights the ice cream industry's need for constant innovation.
Major competitors like Häagen-Dazs owner Froneri and Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, are also vying for market share. With fluctuating commodity and energy prices, companies like Magnum are grappling with higher costs for dairy, cream, eggs, ice cream bases, flavours, and cold-chain energy expenses.
To stay competitive, Magnum has developed refrigeration technology that identifies sold units via AI, improves energy efficiency, and reduces empty fridge space. While such advancements may go unnoticed by consumers, new ice cream products like the Volcanics dessert, with its complex chocolate, biscuit, ice cream, and caramel layers, showcase innovative formats that draw inspiration from Asia.
The continent is now a hub for ice cream innovation, with China leading the trend - consumers are experimenting with unique flavours such as ham, pickled garlic, tahini, and stinky tofu, reflecting changing lifestyles and cultural influences. Additionally, health-conscious options like protein-enriched ice cream are gaining popularity, despite higher price points, as consumers seek premium, value-for-money products.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Technology's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
