Chocolate Grabs Lead From Vanilla In U.K. Ice Cream Launches

Researcher Mintel reports that the launch of chocolate ice cream products outpaced vanilla products in the U.K. for the first time in eight years. Twenty-two percent of all new ice cream launches in 2015 were chocolate flavored, compared to vanilla (18 percent), caramel or caramelized flavors (13 percent) and strawberry (12 percent). The trend applies to both “healthy” ice cream products and “decadent” varieties. The company tied the rise in chocolate flavored products to the continued popularity of ice cream bars. But it also noted that U.K. ice cream trends tend to follow the U.S., where chocolate has been the leading ice cream launch for years. Forty-eight percent of British ice cream buyers want to see a variety of products made with high-quality chocolate from premium chocolatiers and cocoa from a specific region.