Sales of ice cream and frozen desserts were up 2.4 percent and topped $25.1 billion in 2011, according to market researcher Packaged Facts. In addition, sales are expected to reach $28.6 billion by 2016. For the full story, click here.
Editor’s Insight: Ice cream remains a stable but not terribly exciting product segment.
Attempts to enliven the category with flash freeze technology have had limited impact since the market for such equipment is limited to locations with a lot of public traffic.
Attempts to introduce low-fat ice cream did not pan out for ice cream makers in recent years. Ice cream remains an indulgence.
Ice cream nonetheless remains a good option for frozen food vending machines, which continue to increase despite the challenging business environment. Frozen food machines have proven more economical than refrigerated food machines for vending operators due to the elimination of food waste. 05-15 12 By Elliot Maras
