Scooping up a treat!

With a per capita consumption higher than Italy’s, the Irish love of ice cream is legendary. While we enjoy our favourite frozen treats all-year-round, we snap at any chance to truly bask in a lazy summer glow by indulging in an ice cream, with newspaper reports stating a whopping 11 ice creams were enjoyed per second during last year’s heatwave

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Brand Central

Ireland’s love affair with ice cream stretches back generations, where consumer habits blend with nostalgia to form lifelong bonds. Meanwhile, impulse purchases drive footfall and special occasions breed special treats.

Meanwhile, summer 2018 saw unprecedented weather, leading to a monumental boost in sales of ice cream across the board. It’s not likely we’ll see such extremes this year, but retailers will nevertheless be keen to be well-stocked for the inevitable rush on their freezers and ice cream parlour counters when the sun does come out to play.

For 2019, as in preceding years, the category’s leading brands have delivered plenty of innovation in new flavours and formats to appeal to consumers’ love of indulgence and more adventurous flavour combos.

What’s more, low sugar, non-dairy and healthy choices will be high on the agenda this year. According to Euromonitor Ireland’s 2018 report on ice cream and frozen desserts, non-dairy ice cream achieved the highest value growth last year in Ireland, tapping into the “healthy” treat trend. Indeed, in numerous categories within ice cream, this was a common theme throughout 2018. Euromonitor also reports that although frozen yoghurt still continues to record positive growth, it is far lower than what it used to be. This is very much linked to the rising demand for low-calorie and dairy-free ice cream.

Q & A with…Paul Kelly, head of marketing, Refreshments at Unilever

Paul Kelly

Q: While it’s acknowledged as unlikely we’ll see a repeat, did the heatwave summer of 2018 feed into the plan for spring and summer 2019?

A: Although the heatwave in 2018 was certainly unprecedented, the ice cream category has been growing over the last number of years. While we can try and predict many things, we can’t predict the weather and so we focus our strategy around the key category growth drivers to ensure we continue to drive growth regardless of the weather.

For example, health is fast becoming a major trend within ice cream, and to develop this we have pivoted our portfolio with the hugely successful launch of Breyers Delights and plan to expand the range with great tasting on-trend flavours and new formats. Ben & Jerry’s also leads the way with the launch of Moophoria, offering fans a chance to enjoy the lighter side of ice cream. We are also opening up the world of ice cream to those who would love an ice cream but follow a dairy-free or vegan diet with the launch of Magnum Vegan (impulse and multipack), the extension of Ben & Jerry’s Non Dairy with the introduction of Coconutterly, and new Breyers Dairy Free Chocolate & Hazelnut.

Permissible snacking is another massive category growth driver, and to further develop this, we are launching a new sharing format called HB ‘Icepops 4 Friends’ across impulse and take-home formats, in addition to the extension of Ireland’s best-selling ice cream Iceberger into Iceberger Mini’s.

Q: We hear there is a new exciting brand about to hit the ice cream cabinets – fill us in? 

A: Yes, Kinder Ice Cream is coming to Ireland. The universally loved global brand is partnering up with Unilever to launch this exciting range of ice cream creations. It’s the perfect new treat for kids: great taste, small portions and compliance with Unilever’s ‘Responsibly Made for Kids’ guidelines, as well as a Kinder Bueno ice cream offering for a wider audience.

We are really excited about this partnership and bringing Kinder ice cream to Ireland. This is a very special collaboration and we can’t wait for the nation to try the range.

Q: Tell us about HB’s long-standing partnership with Down Syndrome Ireland?

A: Over the last 18 years, HB has partnered with Down Syndrome Ireland to help raise in excess of €3.5m in much needed funds. Our aim is to help DSI improve the quality of life for children with Down Syndrome, especially in the area of inclusive education resources. Our campaign runs across the summer when more than 800 HB Fundays will be held around Ireland, bringing approximately 140,000 people together for magical, fun-filled ice cream parties. We raised over €275K last year and are aiming to raise over €300K to help support younger children by giving them the very best start in life with an education programme that fits their individual needs. If you wish to hold a HB Funday party, please call 1890 37 37 37 or visit www.downsyndrome.ie for details.

Driving sales

What a year 2018 was for the ice cream category, growing massively ahead of overall grocery and finishing the year up +14.7% in value sales*. Unilever, Ireland’s number one ice cream manufacturer, was at the very heart, driving this growth with all its core brands like HB, HB Hazelbrook Farm, Magnum, Ben & Jerry’s, Cornetto and Carte D’Or performing exceptionally in 2018 while also launching the successful Breyers Delights*.

Unilever is the number one ice cream player across both impulse and take-home ice cream*, with nine of the top 10 brands in its portfolio, and therefore is well placed to ensure the ice cream category is positioned for another fantastic year of growth.

2019 will see Unilever continue to develop the expanding health segment across its brands, launch the indulgent Magnum innovation, drive even more shoppers to its HB cabinets through a massive summer campaign, and introduce the brand to an ice cream the Irish public have been waiting for – Kinder Ice Cream.

 Ireland’s number one ice cream brand*

With a crumbly brownie base layered with Magnum ice cream, Magnum Brownie features swirls of caramel sauce fully wrapped in Magnum’s cracking chocolate

Magnum is Ireland’s favourite ice cream brand, and 2018 saw Magnum Praline rank as the number one selling impulse NPD SKU launched in the market, with over 33% of all households buying Magnum take-home ice cream and thus helping the Magnum brand grow by an amazing 17% in value sales*.

In 2019, Magnum will extend its white chocolate credentials with the launch of Magnum White Chocolate and Cookies. This new flavour embodies the indulgence of Magnum; made with cookie crumb pieces encased in white chocolate, with swirls of chocolate sauce and cookie, through velvety panna ice cream. New Magnum White Chocolate and Cookies will be available in an impulse stick, multipack of three, Mini’s multipack of six and in a 440ml tub format.

Magnum will also launch an exciting new exclusive impulse format in 2019 – the tantalising Magnum Brownie. The stick is gone for Magnum Brownie with a crumbly brownie base layered with Magnum ice cream and swirls of caramel sauce fully wrapped in Magnum’s delicious cracking chocolate.

Building on the massive success of the Magnum tubs launch in 2017, three new flavours will be available in 2019, extending the brand’s Doubles experience with Double Salted Carmel, Double Chocolate Deluxe and Double Dark Choc & Raspberry.

Not forgetting about pleasure seekers who want to follow a vegan diet, but still want to indulge and treat themselves, Magnum is launching a vegan variant, available in an impulse stick and a multipack of three.

The brand’s 2019 campaign will invite Magnum pleasure seekers to #neverstopplaying. It will be supported with a huge advertising and activation marketing plan spanning across all consumer touchpoints, media, social platforms, influencer marketing, in-store activation and event marketing to drive consumers to ice cream cabinets.

Continued double-digit growth

With only half the calories, but still featuring all the swirls and chunks Irish consumers love, Ben & Jerry’s Moophoria is a lighter way to enjoy ice cream

Ben & Jerry’s is Ireland’s number one ice cream in the luxury pot segment and has seen three years of incredible double-digit growth*. This growth has been built on strong innovation especially by bringing new shoppers into the luxury ice cream category through the launches of Ben & Jerry’s Dairy Free and Ben & Jerry’s Moophoria.

Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Coconutterly flavour is sure to be a hit with consumers who are looking for a dairy-free alternative

Ben & Jerry’s Moophoria is a lighter way to enjoy ice cream, with all the swirls and chunks Irish consumers love, but with only half the calories. Moophoria is also Rainforest Certified and suitable for those who are vegetarian. Having launched Ben & Jerry’s Carmel Cookie Fix and Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Cookie Dough last year, the brand is now introducing two more fantastic Moophoria flavours which are very much on trend; Ben & Jerry’s Salted Caramel, and Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Cookies & Cream in 500ml pots, and impulse single serve 100ml. Ben & Jerrys Moophoria will also be extended into the brand’s scooping channel for consumers to enjoy.

Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy has proven to be very popular especially for those looking for a dairy free or vegan alternative, and in 2019 the brand will launch the wonderful Ben & Jerry’s Non Dairy Coconutterly flavour.

To drive another year of growth, Unilever is investing substantially behind the Ben & Jerry’s brand across all channels to support both the new product launches and its core classics range.

Delightful new brand raises bar

In 2018, Unilever launched a new brand in Ireland, Breyers Delights which achieved almost €1.4m in retail sales in less than one year on shelves**, making the brand instantly more valuable and desirable than many other brands entering the ice cream category in Ireland. In addition, Breyers Delights is outselling its nearest direct competitor by 14% in volume terms**.

Breyers Delights is a lower calorie, high protein, lower sugar ice cream with each tasty tub containing 290 – 350 calories and up to 20g of protein.

Breyers Delights has proven to bring incremental sales to the category and deliver additional overall category spend as the brand offering hits the sweet spot for Irish consumers looking for lower-calorie/lower-sugar options. Mintel reports that 60% of Irish consumers are interested in ‘healthier versions of my favourite ice cream’, e.g low-fat/low-sugar. Meanwhile without being prompted, 41% of Irish consumers say they are interested in ice creams/desserts with added protein.***

Initially launched in four great-tasting flavours, the range has now grown to nine x 500ml tub variants including Breyers Delights: Salted Carmel, Choc Orange Almond, Cinnamon Oat, Coffee Cupcake, and Raspberry Chocolate Drops.

Breyers Delights is also seeking to develop the impulse channel by expanding its offering with the launch of 100ml tubs perfect for those looking for a lower calorie great tasting ice cream on-the-go. What’s more, Breyers Delights is not stopping there; in 2019 the brand will also launch a range of Dairy-Free Chocolate Hazelnut.

Breyers Delights will be supported by heavyweight advertising investment across social media, influencer marketing, search, in-store activation, event marketing and targeted out-of-home (OOH) advertising.

**(Source: Nielsen Total Ice Cream Sales MAT 23 Feb 2019)

***(Source: Mintel, Ice Cream and Desserts Report October 2017) 

A fantastic new launch

With Ireland being one of the highest consumers of ice cream per capita in Europe, ice cream fans across the country will be pleased to hear the biggest ice cream news of the season – Kinder Ice Cream is now available in stores nationwide.

The universally loved global brand is partnering up with Unilever to launch this exciting range of ice cream creations. It’s a perfect new treat for kids: with great taste, small portions and compliance with Unilever’s ‘Responsibly Made for Kids’ guidelines, as well as a Kinder Bueno ice cream offering for a wider audience.

Lovers of the popular Kinder products can now enjoy an unique Kinder experience. The Kinder Ice Cream Stick combines milk ice cream with fresh whole milk, covered with milk chocolate. The Kinder Ice Cream Stick is available individually as well as in a 10-piece multipack.

Like all Kinder products, the new Kinder Ice Cream Sandwich relies on good ingredients. Creamy milk ice cream with 40% fresh whole milk layered between two cookies made of five different cereals, the Kinder Ice Cream Sandwich is the new snack ​​for children’s afternoon break and comes individually as well as in a six-piece multipack for the whole family.

The famous Kinder Bueno refined hazelnut bar is now also available as a cone. Unique hazelnut milk ice cream meets a core of milk chocolate sauce, embedded in a crunchy cone, topped with a thin layer of hazelnut cream made of Ferrero hazelnuts and topped with chocolate bits. The Kinder Bueno Ice Cream Cone comes individually and in a practical four-piece multipack.

Meanwhile, the unique Kinder Bueno Ice Cream Bar is a mix of hazelnut ice cream with a core of hazelnut sauce, covered with milk chocolate and topped with hazelnut stripes.

Mini me magic!

Iceberger Mini delivers the same great taste as the Iceberger, but in a smaller, bite-size format

Iceberger is Ireland’s number one SKU in both impulse and take-home ice cream. The Iceberger has been delighting fans in Ireland for over 50 years – having been around since 1968. In order to keep Iceberger top of mind and reinvigorate the brand, HB Ice Cream wanted to capitalise on the mini trend and deliver a snacking solution for Iceberger targeting mums with kids aged 7-12.

Iceberger Mini still offers the same great taste as the Iceberger, but in a smaller, bite-size format. This tasty snack is available in a six-multipack across Ireland and falls under the healthy ‘Responsibly Made for Kids’ initiative, so parents can give it to their kids, guilt-free!

Friends four-ever!

Another exciting share pack launching this year is Ice Pops 4 Friends. This offering comes in four tasty flavours for the whole family to enjoy – Marshmallow, Strawberry, Cola and Blackcurrant. These tiny delights are available in the impulse pack format – where you get five mini sticks to enjoy, or in a multipack to take home, where you get 15! These tasty delights also fall under HB Ice cream’s ‘Responsibly Made for Kids’ commitment which is:

–        No more than 110kcal per serving

–        No more than 3g saturated fat per serving

–        No more than 20g of added sugar per 100g.

*(Source: Nielsen MAT Dec 2018 Value Sales)

Scoop up a little magic 

On average, Mullins achieves an average year-on-year sales increase of 15%

One of Northern Ireland’s most-loved family ice cream brands, Mullins, has been enjoying a particularly exciting chapter in its longstanding success story. That story begins back in Kilrea in 1954, when Walter Mullin Sr and his family began making and selling delicious ice-cream using fresh local milk. Known and loved for its creamy taste and tempting range of flavours, the business has continued to grow and produce a wide range of high-quality dairy ice cream ever since.

In 2013, Mullins Ice Cream was acquired by Dale Farm Group, the UK’s largest farmer-owned dairy cooperative, combining a team of experienced staff with a long heritage of ice cream making, and a leading dairy expert with years of industry knowledge, ready to take Mullins to new heights. Adding Mullins to the Dale Farm portfolio has proved extremely successful, as the brand continues to go from strength to strength, extending distribution to an increasing number of outlets across Ireland.

While retaining its core traditional ethos, the Mullins brand continually evolves and regularly experiments with new flavour innovations

Ongoing investment into the brand through product innovation, sales and marketing activities, has been delivering impressive results, with Mullins witnessing an average year-on-year sales increase of 15%.

“In the past four years, Mullins has significantly increased its distribution across the island of Ireland, with over 900 partners now stocking our products,” says Nigel Cairns, commercial director, Dale Farm Ice Cream.

“We work closely with our retail partners to ensure we deliver a consistently high quality, luxury product and a brand that offers true standout presence at the freezer,” he adds.

Cairns says that while remaining true to the “core traditional ethos” of the Mullins brand, Dale Farm “continually evolves and regularly experiments with new flavour innovations to stay ahead of consumer trends. New product development has introduced Candyfloss, Toffee Apple and Mississippi Mudslide lines into our range and we are flexible enough to produce special edition, bespoke flavours to offer tailored customer solutions.

“Our offering to retailers provides a one-stop-shop,” Cairns adds, “with our broad range of ice creams, supplementary sundries, merchandising and point of sale material to create theatre in-store. Our retail partners benefit from attractive profit margins, typically over 60%.”

Over 900 partners now stock Mullins’ products

As well as its strength within the retail and foodservice markets, Mullins is developing valuable relationships with leisure outlets, building bespoke Mullins-branded ice cream parlours at sites including Pickie Park in Bangor, County Down, and Ireland’s only theme park and zoo, Tayto Park, in County Meath.

So, what’s next for Mullins? “We continue to drive our retail sales and leisure partnerships,” says Cairns, “creating bespoke, tailored solutions for our customers and ensuring our delicious ice creams standout at the freezer and deliver real commercial results.

“That said,” he adds, “we are keen to hear from all retailers seeking to add a little Mullins magic to their ice cream offering this summer.”

To find out more about how Mullins Ice Cream can help your business scoop up sales, contact 08723 91257 or email orders@mullins-icecream.com.

Claire Hale

Q & A with… Claire Hale, brand manager, Dale Farm Ice Cream

Q: The co-op was named as the winner of two major sustainability awards at the end of 2018; tell us about this win and why projects like those concerned are important to Dale Farm?

A: We were proud to top two categories at the 2018 Sustainable Ireland Awards. These were ‘Best Use of Renewable Energy Sources’ in recognition of our Dunmanbridge production plant, now powered by one of the largest private solar farms in global dairy – and ‘Energy Manager of the Year’ for Dale Farm Group projects engineer Gary McNeill.

As a leading dairy producer, Dale Farm is committed to sustainability. We constantly review our packaging and production processes to assess our impact on the environment and identify how we can become more sustainable.

Our solar farm at Dunmanbridge is a major example of that strategy in practice and how we are striving to lead as a dairy company of the future.

Q: Recently, there has been a major shift towards healthy options in all segments. As a result, ice cream, traditionally seen as an indulgent product, may face a challenge in the coming years. What is the brand’s stance on this shift in consumer behaviour?

A: Dairy continues to play a major role in consumers’ diets and, typically viewed as an indulgent treat, ice-cream remains an ever-popular category.

Whilst we believe in offering the consumer a wide range of options from which to choose, we stay ahead of trends and preferences through our ongoing pipeline of NPD.

Our most recent innovative addition to our product portfolio is our Dale Farm Mini Fro-Yos. These are a multipack product of 12 mini frozen yogurt lollies with a refreshing fruit juice coating. Mini Fro-Yos have less than 30 kcals per lolly and are made with no artificial colours or flavours, making them an excellent choice for health-conscious adults or as a bitesize treat for kids.

The Dale Farm Ice Cream portfolio boasts a range of products, from health-orientated Mini Fro-Yos to our indulgent Rapture range, our traditional ‘Favourites’ – fruit flavoured water ices and our more modern Giant Cone; we offer something for all the family.

Q: 2018 saw record temperatures in the summer months; did this unprecedented weather translate into increased sales for Dale Farm?

A: 2018 was an extremely successful year for our ice cream business. As well as the extended spell of warm weather in Ireland, we further strengthened our range by launching 10 exciting new products into freezers across the country.

To support these new launches, we rolled out an ambitious all-Ireland brand awareness campaign ‘Take Your Tastebuds Back’, encompassing four key channels; out-of-home (OOH), trade and point of sale, experiential consumer sampling and digital media. This campaign aimed to increase visibility of the brand and encourage consumer trial of our products by engaging with them via our ‘Big Summer Road Trip’ which saw our specially commissioned Dale Farm Ice Cream van travel to key events and locations throughout the island of Ireland.

The campaign helped solidify our presence at the freezers, increasing our market share and distribution network in the Republic of Ireland. A transformative campaign for the Dale Farm Ice Cream brand, we saw sales value in the Republic of Ireland impulse market growing by +117.3% and sales volume more than doubling, increasing by +91.3%. Successes were also recorded for consumer likeability as our ‘Take Your Tastebuds Back’ OOH campaign was voted “Ireland’s Most Liked OOH Campaign of 2018” (Source: Kinetic Insights Report, Cycle 12, 2018).

Q: What marketing and PR projects are in the pipeline for spring and summer 2019? 

A: 2019 is shaping up to be a stellar year for Dale Farm Ice Cream, with a focus on building on our recent success and securing an even bigger scoop of the Irish ice cream market.

New products are set to make a big impression in 2019 with innovative flavours such as the retro Fruit Salad flavour Helter Skelter, the previously mentioned guilt-free Mini Fro-Yos and rich Rapture Chocolate Orange.

This summer, we will be launching a new brand positioning campaign which showcases our extensive ice cream portfolio, integrated across platforms such as vibrant, digitally-focused OOH, radio, social media, and in-store POS. The specially commissioned Dale Farm Ice Cream van will be supporting the OOH campaign through an experiential sampling programme, connecting with consumers at popular events across the country, driving consumer engagement and encouraging product trial. 

Q: With the prospect of Brexit looming, what challenges and opportunities is Dale Farm facing? What kind of preparations are being made in order for individual farms as well as the co-op as a whole to survive and thrive? 

A: Whilst Brexit is leading the entire food sector into unknown territory, the Dale Farm business model presents us with much room for growth, as we remain focused on ongoing innovation and maximising new routes to market.

Supporting and protecting our farmer co-operative will always be our priority and we are working closely with them to ensure all their concerns are addressed.

Sales all wrapped up!

M&M’s Chocolate and Peanut Ice Creams directly tap into the growing consumer appetite for wrapped handheld ice creams

Mars Ireland is back this season with its range of best-selling ice creams from consumers’ favourite brands including M&M’s – the number five chocolate brand in Ireland.

Following on from the huge success of the new M&M’s ice cream range launch last year, there will be an increased focus on driving availability again this year feeding into the growing appetite in the market for wrapped handheld ice creams. Figures provided by Mars indicate the segment is worth over €200 million. M&M’s Chocolate and Peanut Ice Creams directly tap into this trend, offering consumers a tasty twist on the world’s number one confectionery brand.

M&M’s Peanut Ice Cream combines a blend of peanut ice cream, M&M’s peanut pieces and a crunchy chocolate layer

M&Ms Chocolate Ice Cream features tasty chocolate ice cream surrounded by a crunchy chocolate layer with M&Ms pieces and the M&M’s Peanut Ice Cream includes a blend of peanut ice cream, M&M’s peanut pieces and a crunchy chocolate layer.

“With wrapped handheld ice creams leading the market, we are extremely excited to be back with our strong Mars range,” says Allie Kaspruk, brand manager for Mars Ice Creams. “The Mars range includes consumer favourites: M&M’s, Mars, Snickers, Galaxy – and we are confident of a strong summer ahead!”

The Mars Ice Cream range will be available from ice cream distributor Dale Farm, with a suggested retail price of €1.95.

*(Source: Nielsen Total Coverage Latest 12 weeks w/e 24 February 2019)

A new ice cream adventure

Nuii offers consumers a high-quality experience within the indulgent sticks segment, with flavours that are more adventurous and creative

Ireland’s second largest ice cream supplier, Froneri, is launching an exciting new brand in the indulgent sticks segment. This is the first global branded launch for Froneri.

Indulgent sticks are the largest sector of the ice cream market and in long-term growth. Froneri has identified an opportunity to add value to the category with a unique proposition that targets a younger audience who can’t find a premium sticks experience that speaks to their values and taste preferences. The new brand, Nuii, offers consumers a high-quality experience with flavours that are more adventurous and creative.

The Nuii brand which will be launched in Ireland and across Europe, targets the adult evening snack occasion. Indulgent sticks are the most important sector at this occasion but there is further incremental opportunity to tap into the growing premium trends with the younger audience for the evening snack.

The Nuii range consists of four new SKUs, all designed to offer a new taste experience, made with the finest ingredients sourced from all corners of the world to create flavour combinations that excite the most discerning palates; Salted Caramel & Australian Macadamia, Dark Chocolate & Nordic Berry, Cookies & Idaho Valley Mint and Almond & Java Vanilla. Each indulgent stick is made with real cream, coated in a thick layer of premium chocolate and a more artisanal finish. The cocoa used in Nuii products supports responsible, sustainable cocoa farming.

The Nuii range consists of four new SKUs, made with ingredients sourced from all corners of the world to create flavour combinations that excite discerning palates

“The indulgent sticks sector continues to drive growth in both ice cream and the wider grocery market,” says Shane Guest, Ireland country manager at Froneri. “However, there’s a real gap to add incremental growth by appealing to the adventure seeking, taste discerning audience who are looking for a premium stick that fulfills their indulgent treat requirements for an evening snack.

“Nuii takes premium indulgence to the next level,” Guest adds. “The quality of the ingredients we have sourced, and the artisanal finish conveys the care and attention that goes into every one of the Nuii sticks.”

To support the launch of the new brand, Froneri is investing over €500,000 in an integrated marketing campaign to run throughout 2019. The new TV advert will air this month, supported by outdoor, print, experiential, social and digital, product sampling as well as a strong shopper marketing campaign to encourage trial by introducing consumers to the range closer to point of purchase.

Q & A with… Shane Guest, sales & marketing manager, Froneri Ireland

Shane Guest

Q: Froneri was formed in 2016 when R&R joined forces with Nestlé. What was the new objective at this point, and how has it progressed in that time?

The primary objective following the creation of Froneri was to combine the strength of Nestlé, the world’s largest food manufacturer, along with the manufacturing expertise of R&R, a leading ice cream company, to create a global pureplay ice cream company, strong in both retail and out-of-home channels with a comprehensive suite of brands.

Today, Froneri operates in over 25 countries worldwide and is set to expand its global footprint further over the coming years. It has long-term licencing agreements in place with Mondelez which gives it access to globally-recognised brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Flake, Toblerone and Oreo.

Froneri also produces and sells the widely popular Rowntrees range of ice lollies including Rowntrees Fruit Pastille, Rowntrees Watermelon and a clear favourite with Irish families, Rowntrees Fruit Screamers.

Froneri’s vision is to “build the world’s best ice cream company”. The company continues to grow organically, ahead of the sector. Last year Froneri sales in Ireland grew +12 percentage points ahead of the market* and with a comprehensive freezer investment strategy coupled with a highly innovative NPD pipeline, the coming years should prove to be even more successful.

*(Source: Nielsen ROI, Scantrack, Total Coverage six months to August 2018) 

Q: What are some of the best-selling products in the range?

A: Our best-selling product is our Rowntrees Fruit Screamers, a range of five delicious, mini ice-lollies made from real fruit juice and free from artificial colours, flavours or preservatives which continue to be a big hit with Irish families.

Given the popularity of the Cadbury brand in Ireland, it should come as no surprise that the Cadbury range of ice creams are hugely popular with Irish consumers. Cadbury Flake 99 continues to be one of the best-selling cones in the Irish market, while the Toblerone Ice Cream which launched last year has proven to be exceptionally popular.

A true reflection of the popularity of our brands has been the fact that Froneri has been awarded exclusive rights by Centre Parcs Ireland to sell our products in their outlets throughout the resort. 

Q: What new offerings are in store for summer 2019, and what marketing and promotional initiatives are in-store? 

A: Froneri is launching an exciting new brand in the indulgent sticks segment. This is the first global branded launch for Froneri. The Nuii brand which will be launched in Ireland and across Europe, targets the adult evening snack occasion. Indulgent sticks are the most important sector at this occasion but there is further incremental opportunity to tap into the growing premium trends with the younger audience for the evening snack.

To support the launch of Nuii, Froneri is investing over €500,000 in an integrated marketing campaign to run throughout 2019. The new TV advert will air this month supported by outdoor, print, experiential, social and digital, product sampling as well as a strong shopper marketing campaign to encourage trial by introducing consumers to the range closer to point of purchase.

Q & A with… Alexandra Smith, brand manager, Smooch

All you need to know about the new Smooch parlour

Every inch of the Smooch parlour has been carefully designed to deliver a practical, efficient and profitable solution

Q: Smooch Ice Cream bars are designed to fit right into an existing retail space; how much work (construction or otherwise) would be required to complete such a project?

A: There is minimal disruption, in fact we are usually in and out of the shop in a morning. We survey the existing retail space in advance and design the unit to minimize disruption. Our team of experienced fitters and technicians ensure everything goes to plan. All the Smooch team require from the retailer in advance is for water, waste and power connections to be available locally. We keep it simple and hassle-free.

Q: The investment capital required by retailers may put some off; what is the average rate of return on a Smooch Ice Cream bar?

A: With the investment capital starting from as little as €12,995 for a new-look Smooch parlour and an expected return on investment of six months, with the backing of the most experienced team of people in the industry, we make it easy for retailers. Ice cream is all we do, and every inch of the Smooch parlour has been designed to ensure the retailer has a practical, efficient and profitable solution as well as the latest innovation on the stand to draw customers in.

Q: In terms of product, what is the point of difference that sets Smooch apart from its competitors?

A: Smooch’s core product point of difference will always be the real dairy premium ice cream. With no palm oil and 100% Irish dairy, we know the difference is in the taste. That’s why we offer a complete managed service to provide Smooch with the best tasting ice cream all year round. We manage our Gelmatic ice cream machines, provide remote dial in technology to be in the retailers’ ice cream machines in real time and we even clean the machines to ensure the ice cream is always set up to be the best.

The fun and creativity of our brand that we offer to customers is the fact that they can choose what they want to add to their Smooch. With new toppings and flavours introduced all the time, our team of product developers are always innovating. With luxurious toppings or full-size chocolate bars to whip up in either a Smooch cup or thick milkshake, the choice is yours!

Q: How has the company grown and scaled since it was first established back in 1991?

A: Over the last number of years Dairyglen has grown from a family-run company to employing over 30 people. We have outgrown our premises and moved to a larger premises located in Bray, Co. Wicklow. Since starting the company our initial objective was to sell premium quality ice cream which has now grown to providing managed services on our Gelmatic ice cream machines as well as a fully-managed Smooch brand concept. We now have over 140 sites with the Smooch parlour concept and plan to continue to scale this offering.

Q: What are the latest innovations available to customers for spring and summer 2019?

A: With our team constantly bringing the latest on trend flavours to Smooch we have a summer release we feel our customers are going to love. But we don’t want to say too much; watch this space!

A family tradition and passion

Morelli Ice Cream is made with fresh double cream and butter from Northern Ireland’s historic Ballyrashane Creamery

The Morelli family has been making ice cream for five generations using fresh double cream and butter from the historic Ballyrashane Creamery. These rich dairy ingredients are created using milk from cows that graze in the lush green pastures of Northern Ireland’s spectacular Causeway Coast.

Morelli Ice Cream is getting ready for the busy season ahead by celebrating their latest success at the Ice Cream Alliance competitions in Harrogate where the company was awarded the ‘National Champion’ title for its Double Cream Vanilla Ice Cream.

The north coast family business is offering retailers an attractive freezer deal with free stock and point of sale materials. The ice cream is available in 125ml grab-and-go individual tubs as well as 950ml family-sized tubs. The flavour range includes Double Cream Vanilla, Honeycomb, Raspberry Ripple, Sea Salted Caramel, Cookies & Cream and Chocolate. Both sizes command an attractive profit for the retailer.

Morelli’s offers a dedicated van sales service to retail pack customers right across Ireland.

Striking packaging, attractive point of sale materials and great service is all part of the package. To learn more about selling Ireland’s most-awarded ice cream, get in touch by telephone on +442870 357155, visit www.morellisices.com or email info@morellisices.com.

Ireland’s favourite soft ice cream

Angelito provides up to 85% net margins per cone

The nation’s best-selling whipped ice cream for over 40 years, Angelito is the longest established and best-loved whipped ice cream in Ireland. As retailers’ first choice, Angelito produces the highest yield of cones per litre, providing up to 85% net margins per cone, making it the best profit generator in any retailer outlet. It tastes great and is ‘better for you’. Lower in fat, salt, and calories, Angelito has the traditional delicious flavour its renowned for and can be enjoyed without the guilt. Gluten free, its ideal for wheat intolerant and Coeliac consumers.

Enjoy year-round sales of Angelito in tubs, desserts, sundaes, freshly-made milkshakes that give fantastic sales and great margins. Small in size, big in profit, a Carpigiani soft ice cream machine and Angelito ice cream menu make a great duo. Easy to integrate into any business, your customers will love to come back for Angelito again and again.

For information on what’s trending this season and best-selling Angelito desserts, the top toppings and coolest ways to whip up new profits in your business, contact:

Martin Food Equipment, ‘The ice cream experts’ on callsave 1850 30 36 36 or NI FreeFone 0800 783 98 59.

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