Scooping up sales!
Ireland’s love of ice cream is legendary – a summer’s family day out just isn’t the same unless it’s rounded off with a scrumptious chilled treat. So what are the favourites all the kids – and adults – are going to be screaming for when they’re hot and stuffy this year? Read on to make sure you’ve got all the new and classic best-sellers licked!
Print14 April 2015
As a nation, Ireland is the third biggest consumer of ice cream in Europe, with both the impulse and take-home sectors returning encouraging results. While luxury, indulgence and ‘permissive treating’ continue to be key themes within the ice cream category, the frozen yogurt market is making strides by benefitting from its healthy credentials, with a predicted value of €2.7m in 2014.
Further demonstrating ice cream’s enduring popularity on these isles, Kerrymaid’s 2014 Share Good Times Report shows 53% of the 800 million desserts consumed in the UK annually are ice cream based. The report demonstrates that ice cream continues to enjoy sustained popularity, reinforced by research from Mintel, which measured an 85% penetration of the UK market in June 2013.
An impressive year
Overall 2014 was a strong year for Unilever Ice Cream with big launches across all segments of the ice cream category, Nigel Thomson, marketing manager, Ice Cream explains. “Within handheld we launched Marc de Champagne Magnum which delivered incremental sales to the category. Within desserts we launched Ben & Jerrys Greek to capitalise on the frozen yogurt trend and drive frequency within the luxury desserts category.”
“In 2015 we have even stronger NPD and will be increasing our marketing investment to over €4m to drive even more growth in the ice cream category,” Thomson adds.
“Magnum Pink and Black will be the biggest launch of 2015 with two great new flavours:
Magnum Pink, a vanilla ice cream with a rich raspberry swirl, double dipped with the Magnum chocolate and finished with pink chocolate. Research showed 70% of consumers thought the concept was new and different.
“Magnum Black is vanilla ice cream with a decadent espresso swirl and double dipped in Magnum dark chocolate. After trial, 74% of Magnum Black consumers said the product was excellent.
“In 2015 we will be stepping up our investment in Magnum as one of the biggest brands in the ice cream category. Pink and Black will be supported by a 360 marketing campaign with TV, VOD, outdoor, digital and social and PR,” Thomson concludes.
Impressive impulse
“2015 will be a strong year for the impulse ice cream market, with exciting NPD launches that will drive interest in the category and the continuation of our award winning Walls Goodbye Serious marketing campaign,” says Madeleine Boulton, brand manager for OOH Ice Cream.
“We are launching a Cornetto €1 price mark pack to appeal to teenagers and people looking for a great value snack.
Research and results from other markets has shown that by offering a Cornetto at €1, significant growth can be driven in the category. Cornetto €1 will be the focus of the season starter marketing campaign for HB Goodbye Serious, with TV and radio, digital, social and outdoor. We will also be launching Cornetto Taco as a great on-the-go snack for teenagers,” says Boulton.
“Due to popular demand we will be bringing back Freaky Foot, supported with a strong social media and PR support plan. Music Tornado is our kids’ product for 2015 and is sure to drive interest in the kids segment. There are four different sticks that play a different note to keep kids entertained,” she adds.
Dessert delights
Within desserts, David Suter, brand manager, Desserts, says: “We have strong plans across our brands with NPD and upweighted marketing plans.
“After the success of last year’s Ben & Jerry’s Greek launch we will be launching the super indulgent Cookie Cores range. There will be three products in the range: What a Lotta Chocolate; Peanut Butter Cookie; and Speculoos? Specu-Love. We will be increasing our marketing support to drive incremental sales in the luxury pint segment, and will be doing a Core Tour to sample our product, TV, VOD, social and digital, outdoor, and experiential.”
What a Lotta Chocolate is a chocolate ice cream with chocolate cookie chunks and a chocolate cookie core. Peanut Butter Cookie is a peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter cookie chunks and a peanut butter core. Speculoos? Specu-Love is a caramel ice cream with Speculoos cinnamon biscuit cookie chunks and a Speculoos cinnamon biscuit cookie core.
“Ben & Jerry’s is also more than just great tasting ice cream, and in 2015 we will be continuing with our Join Our Core campaign which helps innovative businesses, and champions the Marriage Equality and Climate Change causes,” Suter adds.
“We will also be launching Vanilla 100ml. This is a key flavour within the segment that is a flavour gap for the Ben & Jerrys range. Within our Ben & Jerrys scoop shops this is the top selling flavour and is sure to drive Ben & Jerrys Impulse Ice Cream sales in 2015. Carte d’Or will be on TV for the first time in Ireland this year, and we will be sampling the range at the Ideal Home Show,” he concludes.
Top quality portfolio
Rapture White is a vanilla ice cream cone with raspberry sauce coated in luxurious Belgian white chocolate
This year, Dale Farm Ice Cream says it will continue to offer a top quality portfolio of products to the Irish retail trade, combined with an unrivalled, partnership-led service.
Alongside existing ‘cool classics’ such as Pear Picking Porky and a successful take home range including Dale Farm Vanilla and Honeycomb 1 litre tubs, the company is launching an exciting selection of new products for 2015, which it believes is guaranteed to make mouths water and sales soar.
“At Dale Farm Ice Cream, we constantly review and amend our suite of products to meet the needs of today’s consumer and stay ahead of emerging trends, whilst also continuing to celebrate our much-loved hero products,” says Sean Conacur, regional sales manager, Dale Farm Ice Cream.
Two new flavours have been added to the indulgent Rapture ice cream brand this year
“This year, our product development team has created a brand new selection of products as well as introducing fresh flavours to popular existing ranges,” Conacur adds.
2015 marks Dale Farm Ice Cream’s first step into a new category, as it diversifies into take home frozen yogurt.
“We have used our rich heritage and expertise in the dairy industry to develop a premium quality range of frozen yogurts. In line with the global food trend towards healthy indulgence, our Greek Style Frozen Yogurts contain 0% fat, without compromising on flavour.
The Bubblegum Giant Bar looks set to prove a hit with kids of all ages
“With a rich, creamy taste, which consumers will recognise from our Spelga yogurt range, our Greek Style Frozen Yogurt lines are available in Lemon, Vanilla & Mango and Mixed Berry,” Conacur says.
Other new additions include two new ice cream cone lines within the Rapture range, as Sean continues, “The popularity of our indulgent Rapture ice cream inspired us to develop two new flavours for 2015. These include the decadent Rapture White, a vanilla ice cream cone with raspberry sauce coated in luxurious Belgian white chocolate; and the moreish Rapture Caramel – a caramel ice cream cone with a toffee sauce centre, topped with hazelnut.
“Alongside iconic ice-cream products like Dale Farm’s Mr Frostie and Polly Pineapple, our Giant Bar has been a much-loved product by families across Ireland for decades.
“Always keen to develop innovative new flavours and product concepts, we’re launching a Bubblegum Giant Bar, which, if our taste testers are anything to go by, is set to prove a hit with kids of all ages,” says Conacur.
With a product for every occasion, from cool new flavours to familiar favourites, healthy options to indulgent treats, Dale Farm Ice Cream has something for all the family to enjoy in 2015.
For more information, contact Sean Conacur on 086 255 4594.
Scoop sales with a taste of tradition
Delicious and locally produced in Ireland, Mullins Ice Cream has become a much-loved brand since it was first made by the Mullin family in Kilrea over 60 years ago. Created with the finest ingredients and purest dairy cream, Mullins Ice Cream comes in a range of 18 flavours and is enjoyed by families across Ireland all year round.
Whether it’s a summer’s day scoop of decadent Double Caramel in a cone, or a take-home tub of moreish Dairy Cream & Honeycomb for the family to enjoy, the appeal of Mullins Ice Cream is endless.
In addition to the range of existing 18 lines, which range from classic Raspberry Ripple to quirky Jaffa Cake flavour, Mullins regularly produces seasonal limited edition flavours to capture the imagination of the consumer and maximise tactical sales opportunities, such as the recent Candyfloss.
Mullins Ice Cream is all about quality – a rich, creamy ice cream made using delicious local dairy. A modern brand, it also celebrates tradition. Its pastel packaging captures the traditional, family appeal of Mullins – and makes an impactful addition to any store. As the consumer trend for locally made, quality produce continues to rise, Mullins Ice Cream’s popularity continues to grow.
“Selling Mullins Ice Cream can create a competitive advantage for your business and generate impressive profits,” says Peter Lynn, Mullins Ice Cream.
“With low set up costs, a high profit margin and all year round appeal, stocking Mullins Ice Cream is sure to scoop sales for retailers in 2015,” Lynn adds.
To become a Mullins Ice Cream stockist or to find out more about its generous ‘load-in deals’, contact Peter Lynn on +44 07711 760780.
Made by mums who care
Chilly Moo is the only frozen yogurt made especially for children. As parents seek healthier alternatives for their children, Chilly Moo provides the perfect guilt free treat. It is 100% unique: a completely natural frozen yogurt sweetened only with real fruit and fruit juices. In short, the brand says it is a healthy but just as tasty, alternative to ice cream.
Chilly Moo Frozen Yogurt has a multitude of benefits namely, that it is made in Ireland; made with whole milk, yogurt and unsweetened fruit puree and has a high fruit content (19%). It also contains no artificial additives, preservatives or colourings, is low fat (less than 3%), low GI, gluten free and award-winning.
Chilly Moo is a completely natural frozen yogurt sweetened only with real fruit and fruit juices
Chilly Moo’s branding is both eye catching and funky and attracts children and adults alike.
The three flavours are Strawberry, Mixed Berry (raspberry, blackberry & strawberry) and Banana & Strawberry.
Chilly Moo is available nationwide and can be delivered direct to your store. The 500ml tubs (single flavour cases of 12) are perfect for families sharing at home. Meanwhile, the 120ml spoon-in-lid tubs (single or mixed flavour cases of 36) are ideal for the grab-and-go market and for cafés and children’s attractions.
The Chilly Moo team are led by Joanna Lovegrove and Clare Holman, who have been friends forever and between them have six young children. They came up with the concept for Chilly Moo when they were looking for something nutritious, yet still tasty, to give as a frozen treat, and found no options on the supermarket shelves. But once they had their finished product, it was so divine, the whole family loved it.
For more information, contact Joanna Lovegrove (086 817 4571) at joanna@chillymoo.ie or Clare Holman (086 858 3800) at clare@chillymoo.ie.
www.chillymoo.ie.
Protein perfection
Wheyhey Protein Ice Cream contains 20g of protein per serving
Wheyhey Protein Ice Cream is made with no sugar, all natural ingredients and has 20g of protein per serving. The brand is currently stocked at SuperValu stores across Ireland priced at €2.95.Damien Kennedy, Co-Founder of Wheyhey Protein Ice Cream, says: Wheyhey’s products are so successful because we offer consumers a viable healthy choice – an ice cream that delivers on health benefits (no sugar, low in cals, all natural ingredients, 20g of protein) with absolutely no compromise on taste.”
The company says its recent pack re-design shows its challenger brand approach to taking healthy ice cream mainstream – healthy eating is no longer boring. Demand for the product continues to increase – it’s currently tracking above PopChips and Vitacoco in some retailers – and the company is adding new flavours and formats later this year, as well as moving into more mainstream consumer leisure outlets.
The growth of the protein category and popularity of protein based products has been helped by the fact that the messaging around protein has changed massively: it’s now about overall improved health, body image and weight management – which appeals to pretty much everyone – rather than ‘bulking up’, which only really appeals to a niche audience.
Wheyhey’s new Banoffee contains whey protein isolate, is low in fat and is all natural and gluten free.
Maid in heaven
Kerrymaid Angelito has been a favourite with consumers for more than 40 years
“Kerrymaid conducted independent research into the frozen desserts market, and compiled the findings in its 2014 Share Good Times Report,” explains Grace Keenan, brand manager for Kerrymaid. According to this report, 53% of the 800 million desserts consumed in the UK annually are ice cream based. The report demonstrates that ice cream continues to enjoy sustained popularity, reinforced by research from Mintel, which measured an 85% penetration of the UK market in June 2013.
Kerrymaid Angelito, which has been loved by consumers for more than 40 years, helps retailers generate trust with customers and drive incremental sales. The creamy taste of Kerrymaid Angelito Ice Cream Mix offers the taste of real Irish dairy with the smooth texture customers expect. Kerrymaid Angelito also offers a great yield meaning that outlets will have excellent profit margins, while providing a tasty and consistent treat to customers.
Kerrymaid brand manager Grace Keenan says the brand offers excellent profit margin
“Kerrymaid Angelito is ideal for sundaes, with the Kerrymaid Share Good Times research reporting that ice cream sundaes remain one of the most popular desserts across multiple channels. They also represent a prime opportunity to drive afternoon and impulse sales. It is important to offer a variety of toppings to consumers, a wide choice adds an element of excitement to the offering and will also appeal to varied personal tastes. Kerrymaid Angelito can also be used as a dessert accompaniment or combined with milk for a thick milkshake.”
For more information on Kerrymaid, visit www.kerrymaid.co.uk or call 0800 783 4321.
For seasonal recipe ideas, commercial kitchen know-how and foodservice marketing tips, follow @KerrymaidDairy on Twitter and join in the conversation.
The gelato experts
Martin Food Equipment’s Gelato University offers the ability to create your very own gelato menu
Consumption of soft ice cream has grown significantly in Ireland over the last three years. Today, soft ice cream servings are now more likely to be bought in the format of an ice cream treat, in a cup, mixed with branded sweets as opposed to the traditional ice cream cone. This trend has driven sharp growth in sales by the creation of a new, all year round, all weather soft ice cream category.
Martin Food Equipment, the ice cream expert, has been to the fore of this trend through the Blizz soft ice cream concept, combined with Angelito ice cream mix of course. Blizz is a blend of Angelito mixed with well-known and well-loved branded sweets and other toppings, made to order.
Martin Food Equipment combines 25 years of experience in soft ice cream with award winning Carpigiani ice cream equipment, creative in-store design and an exciting range of well-known treat products. The company has been working with retailers to formulate a slot-in ice cream offer to attract customers all year round and create a distinctive ice cream destination.
Frozen yogurt is the fastest growing dessert category in the U.S. and possibly the most cosmopolitan snack today. Low in fat, it’s a tasty and profitable complement to soft ice cream in any outlet. Martin Food Equipment has developed a franchise free concept, Yogomoo which combines “naughty and nice”, sweet and wholesome toppings with low fat soft serve yogurt, to be enjoyed by the health conscious and fat dodgers.
Ireland’s new homemade artisan gelato is hugely influenced by international travel and a love of all things Italian and is fast becoming ‘the’ must have ice cream for Irish consumers. Providing uniqueness and high visual impact, homemade gelato is quality, premium ice cream and is highly profitable. Trained in Bologona by Italian gelato masters, Martin Food Equipment’s Gelato University offers the ability to create your very own gelato menu that will impress your customers and grow your business.
Don’t miss on 22 April, by prior booking only, “Introduction to Making Your Own Gelato” at Martin Food Equipment Gelato University, Dundalk. Contact 1850 30 36 36 for more details.
One-stop shop for cones and wafers
Despite our temperamental climate and some of the worst summers on record over the years, Ireland remains one of the largest consumers of the product in the world. The Irish consumer loves nothing better than to eat their ice cream from cones or sandwiched between wafers. With the expectation of warmer weather and brighter evenings ahead, now is the ideal time to stock up on your cone and wafer products to capitalise on this sales opportunity.
Since the company was founded in 1944, Donegal based company Irish Cone and Wafer has had a long affiliation with Ireland’s ice cream consumers and is the largest manufacturer of cone and wafer products in Ireland. The company produces a wide range of products under the Cool Wafers, Cup and Cones branding as well as Wrapped Wafers brands. The company also offers bulk catering cones under the Superb Cones brand to retailers and ice cream vendors who operate ice cream machines. In addition to the eye catching pack designs, Irish Cone and Wafer has a wide range of point of sale units and stands on which to display their products.
Largo Foods manages all sales and distribution of Irish Cone and Wafer products and the company can be contacted on 01-8350611.
Putting the ..ooh!.. in soft serve ice cream
The Smooch brand says it not only ensures retailers make a profit of up to 80%, the extensive menu which includes milkshakes and ice cream, ensures the extension of the ice cream season to 12 months of the year.
The Smooch Shakebar concept affords retailers the opportunity to create a real destination for ice cream and dairy treat creations. Containing luxury premium ingredients such as Ferrero Rocher and Chocolate Cookie Mixes, the Smooch menu has something for everyone.
Quality is core to the value of Smooch and a huge selling factor is its real dairy ice cream, containing one of the highest dairy contents in the market. Not only does a higher dairy content give more cones and more profit per litre, it also ensures customers will return time and time again for the delicious creamy tasting ice cream.
From the initial site survey, the Smooch team will fully design, project manage and fit out your shop to the highest standard. By creating maximum visibility with whatever space is available, the Smooch brand dramatically increases sales of whipped ice cream. The Smooch partnership with the retailers ensures continuous ongoing assistance and support with marketing and promotions.
With outlets nationwide, the success story of Smooch continues with new outlets opening each month.
Q & A with…
Nigel Thomson, marketing manager, Unilever Ice Cream
The ice cream category is hugely competitive, how do you differentiate your product(s) in such a crowded marketplace?
We aim to give heavy above-the-line (ATL) and shopper support to our brands to drive Irish consumers into the category from the start of the season to the end of the year. In 2015 we have even stronger NPD across all the main category segments, and will be increasing our marketing investment to over €4m to drive even more growth in the ice cream category.
Are there plans for any new products in the pipeline?
In 2015 we have a large pipeline of new products. In 2015 we are launching products across all segments of the ice cream category: Magnum Pink and Magnum Black; Ben & Jerrys Cookie Cores; Ben & Jerry’s Vanilla 100ml; Cornetto €1; Freaky Foot; Cornetto Taco, Music Tornado, and Hazelbrook Farm Strawberry.
How will retailers benefit from the NPD and how do you encourage them to support the launch?
Retailers will benefit from the NPD by ensuring availability before the season kicks off for shoppers. Particular attention should also be given to the existing top selling lines that account for a significant percentage of category sales. Top selling lines should be prioritised with the greatest visibility and distribution.
What advice would you give retailers in order to drive sales within their ice cream category in-store?
Following the Unilever DAVE outside of home (OOH) model ensures strong category sales across the season. By ensuring that POS is sited, attention can be drawn to the freezer to bring new and light users into the category over the summer period.
What marketing initiatives have you planned over the coming months?
This year Unilever will be increasing marketing spend to over €4m to drive sales within the ice cream category. Cornetto €1 will start the season off with a campaign that includes TV, radio, consumer promo, digital and outdoor. Magnum Pink & Black will be our biggest launch in 2015 and we will be supporting the NPD with a full 360 degree plan. Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Cores and Carte d’Or will also have full ATL campaigns to drive consumption of dessert ice cream. By popular demand we will also be bringing back Freaky Foot with a strong social and PR campaign.
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