Canada Ice Cream and Frozen Treats Market Report 2020
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Report Summary
“Regardless of the innovation in ice cream, the category’s success rests on a timeless and fundamental principle, which is to provide enjoyment. During the COVID-19 outbreak, this central tenet may be more important than ever and will remain so in the near term.”
– Joel Gregoire, Associate Director for Food & Drink
This report covers the following issues:
- COVID-19’s impact on ice cream and frozen treat sales at grocery is likely to experience a ‘bump’ at retail as Canadians spend more time at home and visit foodservice less.
- Better-for-you options remain popular, but quality and indulgence remain core to the category’s appeal.
- Half of consumers are open to eating dairy-free ice cream, indicating that it’s becoming more mainstream.
- When choosing ice cream, the core tenets of “familiar brands “ and the “source of ingredients” rank as the most important considerations.
- Most Canadians look for “sales/promotions” when shopping for ice cream and/or frozen treats. Look for this behaviour to become more prominent as Canada heads into a recession and what is likely to be a long recovery period, meaning price sensitivity is unlikely to wane.
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- Consumer research
- Market sizing
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- Impact of COVID-19 on ice cream and frozen treats
- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and longer-term impact of COVID-19 on ice cream, June 2020
- Key trends
- Younger consumers are more open to experimentation
- Figure 2: Interest in ice cream or frozen treats with unique texture and contrasting flavours, by age, March 2020
- Despite value’s importance, there is clear demand for premium offerings
- Figure 3: Qualities of interest in ice cream or frozen treats, March 2020
- The emotional benefits of ice cream take on greater importance
- Figure 4: Ice cream’s role in dealing with stress (% any agree), by age, March 2020
- More than half of Canadians are open to ice cream made with dairy alternatives
- Figure 5: “I’m open to trying ice cream made with dairy alternatives” and “Ice cream/frozen treats with sustainability claims are more appealing to me” (% any agree), by age, March 2020
- Consumers’ backgrounds can influence their preferences
- Figure 6: What matters when choosing ice cream or frozen treats, Chinese and non-Chinese Asians vs overall, March 2020
- What it means
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Impact of COVID-19 on Ice Cream and Frozen Treats
- Summary
- Figure 7: Short-, medium- and longer-term impact of COVID-19 on ice cream and frozen treats, June 2020
- Opportunities and Threats
- Ice cream and frozen treats can be a welcome distraction in an abnormal summer
- As grocers benefit, foodservice stands to experience challenges
- COVID-19 may lead to more interest in dairy-free ice cream
- Ice cream sales in 2020 are likely to experience a short-term bump
- Figure 8: Total Canadian value sales and fan chart forecast of ice cream retail market, at current prices, 2014-25
- How the COVID-19 crisis will affect ice cream’s/frozen treats’ key consumer segments
- ‘Staycationers’ will look to being some normalcy to their summer
- Ice cream helps adults break away from daily pressures
- How a COVID-19 recession will reshape the ice cream and frozen treat industry
- COVID-19: Canadian context
- Summary
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The Market – What You Need to Know
- Ice cream sales at retail will likely experience a bump in 2020
- Canada enters a recession as food inflation increases
- Ice cream sales at retail will likely experience a bump in 2020
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Market Size and Forecast
- Ice cream sales at retail will likely experience a bump in 2020
- Figure 9: Total Canadian value sales and fan chart forecast of ice cream retail market, at current prices, 2014-25
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- Figure 10: Total Canadian value sales and forecast of ice cream retail market, at current prices, 2014-25
- Figure 11: Total Canadian volume sales and fan chart forecast of ice cream retail market, 2014-25
- Ice cream sales at retail will likely experience a bump in 2020
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Market Factors
- Canada enters a recession as food inflation increases
- Stagnating birth rate has implications for ice cream and frozen treats
- Figure 12: Historical and projected birth rate per 1,000 persons in Canada, 1950-2045
- Figure 13: Frozen treats typically eaten, by parental status, March 2020
- Weight management to remain important given Canada’s aging population
- Figure 14: Percent of Canadian adults (18+) who are overweight or obese, 2015 and 2018
- Canada enters a recession as food inflation increases
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Key Players – What You Need to Know
- Looking abroad can inspire ice cream flavours innovation
- Innovation around ice cream/frozen treats with better-for-you claims continues
- Unique flavours will continue to emerge
- Looking abroad can inspire ice cream flavours innovation
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What’s Working
- Looking abroad can inspire ice cream flavours innovation
- Figure 15: Neale’s Sweet ‘n Nice Ice Cream Instagram post, November 2019
- Looking abroad can inspire ice cream flavours innovation
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What to Watch
- Innovation around ice cream/frozen treats with better-for-you claims continues
- Figure 16: Halo Top Birthday Cake Frozen Dessert Bars (Canada), October 2019
- Figure 17: Goodnorth Creamy Ice Milk (Canada), September 2018
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- Figure 18: Killer Creamery No Judge Mint Keto Frozen Dessert (US), October 2019
- Figure 19: Peekaboo Organic Strawberry Ice Cream with Hidden Carrots (US), September 2019
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- Figure 20: Chillycow Mocha Espresso Swirl Light Ice Cream (US), November 2019
- Figure 21: PC Lemon Flavoured Skyr Bars (Canada), June 2018
- Mainstreaming of dairy-free leads to more plant-based launches
- Figure 22: Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss Naked Coconut Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Bars (Canada), June 2019
- Figure 23: Oatly! Original Strawberry Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert (US), November 2019
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- Figure 24: So Delicious Dairy-Free Oatmilk Peanut Butter and Raspberry Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert (US), October 2019
- Figure 25: Fiasco Dairy-Free Mango Pineapple Sorbet (Canada), February 2019
- Unique flavours will continue to emerge
- Figure 26: Eat Me Ice Cream Curry Cashew and Crystallized Ginger Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert (US), August 2019
- Figure 27: Eat Me Ice Cream Lavender Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert (US), August 2019
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- Figure 28: Van Leeuwen Pumpkin Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust French Ice Cream (US), December 2019
- Figure 29: Museum of Ice Cream Malt Shake Ice Cream (US), August 2019
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- Figure 30: Nestlé Dryer’s DC The Joker Mint Cookie Madness Light Ice Cream (US), September 2019
- There’s room for ‘sophisticated’ ice cream
- Figure 31: Häagen-Dazs Spirits Rum Tres Leches Ice Cream (US), August 2019
- Figure 32: Häagen-Dazs Spirits Amaretto, Black Cherry, Almond and Toffee Frozen Dessert (US), August 2019
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- Figure 33: Dessert Italiano Italian Mocha Layered Dessert (Canada), September 2019
- Figure 34: Fontaine Sante Piña Colada Ice Coco Cream (Canada), August 2019
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- Figure 35: JonnyPops Cold Press Coffee Chocolate & Cream Ice Bars (US), July 2019
- Innovation around ice cream/frozen treats with better-for-you claims continues
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The Consumer – What You Need to Know
- Four in five Canadians eat ice cream
- Promotions resonate with consumers when shopping for ice cream/frozen treats
- Brands matter when choosing ice cream
- High degree of interest in premium ingredients and internationally inspired flavours
- Leveraging the emotional benefits of ice cream is particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Four in five Canadians eat ice cream
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Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Consumption
- Four in five Canadians eat ice cream
- Figure 36: Ice cream and/or frozen treats typically eaten, March 2020
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- Figure 37: Ice cream and/or frozen treats typically eaten, by age, March 2020
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- Figure 38: Ice cream and/or frozen treats typically eaten, by parental status, March 2020
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- Figure 39: Ice cream and/or frozen treats typically eaten, Chinese and non-Chinese Asians vs overall, March 2020
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- Figure 40: Ice cream and/or frozen treats typically eaten, by region, March 2020
- Despite the range of formats available, bowls remain the most popular format in which to eat ice cream
- Figure 41: Formats in which ice cream is normally eaten, March 2020
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- Figure 42: Formats in which ice cream is normally eaten, by age, March 2020
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- Figure 43: Formats in which ice cream is normally eaten, by parental status, March 2020
- Four in five Canadians eat ice cream
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Shopping Influences
- Promotions resonate with consumers when shopping for ice cream/frozen treats
- Figure 44: What matters when shopping for ice cream/frozen treats, March 2020
- A third of consumers buy ice cream/frozen treat on impulse
- Figure 45: Buying on impulse when shopping for ice cream/frozen treats, 18-44s vs over-45s, March 2020
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- Figure 46: Importance of buying favourite brand versus looking for new products when shopping for ice cream/frozen treats, by age, March 2020
- Few consumers account for nutritional information when shopping for ice cream
- Figure 47: Nutritional information as mattering when shopping for ice cream/frozen treats, by age, March 2020
- Moms most likely to look to ice cream to celebrate special occasions
- Figure 48: Importance of special occasions and stocking up when shopping for ice cream/frozen treats, mothers vs fathers, March 2020
- Promotions resonate with consumers when shopping for ice cream/frozen treats
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What Matters when Choosing Ice Cream or Frozen Treats (Aside from Price and Taste)
- Brands matter when choosing ice cream
- Figure 49: What matters when choosing ice cream or frozen treats, March 2020
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- Figure 50: What matters when choosing ice cream or frozen treats, 18-44s vs over-45s, March 2020
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- Figure 51: What matters when choosing ice cream or frozen treats, by parental status, March 2020
- Consumers’ heritage influences their motivations
- Figure 52: What matters when choosing ice cream or frozen treats, Chinese and non-Chinese Canadians vs overall, March 2020
- Brands matter when choosing ice cream
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Areas of Interest
- High degree of interest in premium ingredients and internationally inspired flavours
- Figure 53: Qualities of interest in ice cream or frozen treats, March 2020
- Younger adults are more open to experimenting with texture and flavour…
- Figure 54: Qualities of interest in ice cream or frozen treats, by age, March 2020
- …and wellness
- Gender impacts what Canadians show interest in
- Figure 55: Qualities of interest in ice cream or frozen treats, by gender, March 2020
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- Figure 56: Qualities of interest in ice cream or frozen treats, by parental status, March 2020
- CBD in ice cream holds greater appeal with younger men
- Figure 57: Interest in CBD in ice cream or frozen treats, by age and gender, March 2020
- High degree of interest in premium ingredients and internationally inspired flavours
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Attitudes towards Ice Cream and Frozen Treats
- Quality and familiarity are top of mind for ice cream/frozen treat consumers
- Figure 58: Attitudes towards ice cream and frozen treats, March 2020
- Leveraging the emotional benefits of ice cream is particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Figure 59: Ice cream’s role in dealing with stress (% any agree), by age, March 2020
- Many Canadians don’t need their ice cream to be healthy, but they are also open to options with functional benefits
- Figure 60: “Ice cream is meant to be an unhealthy treat” and “I’m interested in ice cream and/or frozen treats with functional benefits” (% any agree), by age, March 2020
- Half of Canadians are interested in dairy-free ice cream
- Figure 61: “I’m open to trying ice cream made with dairy alternatives” and “Ice cream/frozen treats with sustainability claims are more appealing to me” (% any agree), by age, March 2020
- Quality and familiarity are top of mind for ice cream/frozen treat consumers
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales Data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Data sources
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