The average American will consume ice cream around 28 times this year; how many of those experiences will take place at your ice cream shop? There are approximately 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream and similar frozen desserts produced in the United States each year, so the competition for the top ice cream spot is fierce! The more you know about food trends, seasonal fads, and the necessary shop supplies to deliver the best product and customer service, the better prepared you’ll be when the warm weather arrives.
Studies show that vanilla remains the most popular flavor among American consumers. Other favorites include chocolate, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, cookie dough, strawberry, coffee, rocky road, and butter pecan. However, a new trend is emerging in the ice cream and frozen yogurt market: exotic and savory flavors. Consumers are becoming increasingly adventurous when it comes to that timeless frozen dessert. It’s not uncommon to see flavors like cream cheese, rose, avocado, strawberry basil, bacon, and french toast on restaurant menus and in some bold and progressive ice cream shops. Ice cream has been available to the public since the year 1660, so it’s about time we tried something new! People love variety, they love choices, and after more than three centuries of ice cream, it looks like the industry is finally reinventing itself. Your customers love the classics, but by offering them something new (and maybe even a little weird), you will be providing them with an experience they won’t forget.
People do love choices, and that’s why self-serve frozen yogurt shops are becoming wildly popular. Consumers are enamored by the number of different flavors and toppings that are offered, and they enjoy the freedom of filling up their own paper cups to create a custom frozen yogurt sundae. Even if those crazy new flavors aren’t the right fit for your shop, giving your customers a wide variety of flavor and topping options will keep them coming back for more.
There is one last thing you need to be sure of before you are ready to open your doors for the season. Do you have the right shop supplies? Just like they enjoy variety in flavor, customers like choices when it comes to the vessel that’s delivering ice cream to their watering taste buds. Some prefer a disposable ice cream cup and a spoon to eliminate the mess factor, while others prefer to chase those tasty drops that drip down a cone as the ice cream melts in the summer sun. Many ice cream lovers like to taste a flavor before they make their final decision, so sample spoons should be ordered in abundance. Stock up with the right shop supplies, and you will be ready to impress the public on opening day.