Magazin: Expanding world

The ice cream category’s development is shaped by the same macro trends as the innovation of other food and drink segments. For the average consumer there is no difference between ice cream bought in a confectionery and ice cream bars or other products available in shops, but as a matter of fact there are big differences in both quality and taste. Now that all ingredients are available to confectioners, from exotic spices to fruits grown in other corners of the world, product innovation is easier than it used to be. The next step forward is using as good quality ingredients as possible. In the last few years the usage of fresh, local ingredients became trendy. Other development trends are perfectly in line with those used in boxed ice cream production, for instance one of these is combining ingredients of various textures. Good examples of this are the ice cream versions of classic cakes and desserts. Health trends also influence the ice cream selection available in confectioneries, so that people living with allergies and those on a weight loss diet can also enjoy ice cream. Ice cream is an impulse product, so it matters very much how the product is presented. The number of products available is also important, but above a certain number quality necessarily suffers. Still, a large selection of different ice creams attracts consumers and with various accessories (wafers, creams, syrups, etc.) customers can be convinced to spend even more. Confectioneries also need to differentiate themselves from competitors. The market of products such as frozen yogurt is developing slowly in Hungary. Shaved ice with syrup on top is more and more popular abroad but it isn’t even available in Hungary. In Western Europe ice cream parlours open with a hypermodern design or based on rather extreme ideas.