Ice Cream And Frozen Treats Can Boost A Bottom Line

Ice cream and other frozen treats are popular year-round, but in the hot summer months they can become a daily ritual for people in search of something to help them cool down. It’s one of the biggest frozen food categories and after years of declining consumption, ice cream is back. Its popularity is on the rise, with new and trendy ice cream alternatives being developed to keep pace with changing consumer demand.  

While ice cream remains a decadent treat – what psychologists call a “permissible indulgence” – increasingly consumers want something that tastes great but won’t break their diet or interrupt their healthy lifestyle. Market research firm Mintel reports that globally 37% of consumers would feel less guilty about consuming unhealthy food or drinks if they contained at least one healthy ingredient. A desire for products lower in sugar and higher in protein is influencing the development of vegan ice creams, frozen yogurt and ice pops made of oat milk. The better-for-you trend seems to be accelerated in Asian countries where new iced dessert products containing digestive aids, collagen and added probiotics are catching on. It’s also in Asia where innovations like salty and savoury flavours along with ice cream in unusual shapes (anyone for a fish-shaped ice cream?) are common. And one can’t discount the influence of Instagram and other social media platforms for creating greater interest and almost an obsession with new and experimental types of ice creams.

The North American market is also embracing healthier alternatives as evidenced by the growth of low-calorie brands like Halo Top. Coupled with the long-term trend towards the “snackification” of ice cream into single serve products and selling ice cream starts to make sense for almost any retailer. With a shelf life of up to four months it’s a product that’s relatively easy to monitor and stock and adds additional revenue to your bottom line. A frozen merchandiser stocked with tempting frozen treats creates a pleasant surprise for clients, customers or employees when installed in unexpected places, like a lunchroom, an auto service center, or a waiting room.   

A few things to remember if you’re stocking ice cream for the first time in your commercial upright freezer:

• When stocking shelves, leave room between items to allow for airflow above and below each level.
• The constant opening and closing of doors can cause temperatures to fluctuate.  Check freezers for any gaps in the doors or torn gaskets and consider buying merchandisers that have Smartlock health timer, which monitors the interior storage temperature and safeguards stored food products by locking the frozen merchandiser when a pre-set safety limit is reached. The Smartlock system’s battery back-up ensures the food safety system functions during a power outage.

Soft ice cream comes out of a machine, not a freezer. Make sure you invest in the best when it comes to an ice cream commercial upright freezer merchandiser. Our freezers will keep your ice cream products in prime selling condition while using a fraction of the energy older freezers use.