This report looks at the following areas:
- Ice cream and frozen novelties consumption
- Ice cream and frozen novelties purchase venues
- Important attributes when buying ice cream and frozen novelties
- Attitudes related to ice cream and frozen novelties consumption
- Features of interest in ice cream and frozen novelties.
Between indulgence and healthiness, the ice cream market in Brazil must innovate to meet demanding and cost-conscious consumers.
Laura Menegon, Analyst Food & Drink, LATAM
Market Definitions
This Report includes all packaged ice creams, sorbets and popsicles in family-sized packages, individual packages and multipacks. This encompasses ice cream, popsicles, frozen desserts and ice cream bars, which can be either handcrafted or mass-produced.
In the consumer survey, the following products were included:
- Standard brand ice cream
- Standard brand popsicles/ice cream bars
- Soft serve ice cream
- Freeze pops
- Ready-to-eat ice cream cones
- Premium brand popsicles/ice cream bars
- Ice cream from small, local producers
- Gelato
- Premium brand ice cream
- Plant-based/vegan ice cream
- Açaà cream
- Frozen chocolate-flavored desserts
- Frozen fruit-flavored desserts
- Frozen yogurt
- Frozen fruit covered in chocolate
- Other fruit creams.
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Executive Summary
- What consumers want and why
- Challenges
- High food prices might restrict the category’s performance
- Ice creams sold in retail stores are perceived to be of lower quality
- Increased scrutiny of ultra-processed foods is putting pressure on industrial ice cream manufacturers
- Opportunities
- Ice cream can reinforce its position as a snack and provide benefits for particular occasions
- Connection between indulgence and wellbeing drives delivery sales
- Foodservice can offer seasonal ice cream and frozen desserts on special occasions, increasing brand engagement and boosting the average ticket
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THE CONSUMER
- Category overview
- Standard brand ice cream, a more economical option, leads the category
- Graph 1: ice cream consumption, 2025
- ‘Heavy users’ of the category, consumers aged 25-34 stand out in most of the sub-categories analyzed
- Graph 2: ice cream consumption, by age group, 2025
- Plant-based/vegan ice creams remain niche; target audience is women aged 25-34
- Graph 3: plant-based/vegan ice cream consumption, by gender and age group, 2025
- Açaà leads the consumption of frozen desserts
- Graph 4: frozen novelties consumption, 2025
- Purchase venues
- In an effort to cut expenses, Brazilians are visiting supermarkets in search of more affordable ice cream
- Graph 5: purchase venues, 2025
- Purchases are becoming smaller and more frequent, and ice cream sales are expected to trend in the same direction
- Premium ice cream packaging can inspire private label
- Homebound Millennials drive ice cream delivery app orders
- For Millennials who take refuge at home, ordering an ice cream can be a moment of self-care
- Strengthen the connection between ice cream and relaxation by offering consumption experiences focused on wellbeing
- Explore the nostalgia associated with ice cream to speak about mental health benefits
- Invest in formulations that are suitable for delivery services
- Convenience stores are an option to satisfy consumers’ desire for indulgence
- Graph 6: venues where consumers of premium brand ice cream bought ice cream in the past six months, 2025
- Potential for convenient indulgence drives investments
- Partnerships with convenience stores can enhance engagement and visibility for ice cream brands
- Important attributes
- Attractive flavors are the most important attribute when choosing ice cream…
- …but for many consumers, price is a determining factor
- Graph 7: relevance of flavor and price in the ice cream category, by consumer groups, 2025
- Flavors created in partnership with famous chefs increase the perceived value of products
- Chef recipes and support for social causes can influence consumer choices
- Innovative textures and formats can stand out
- Ice cream can enhance its role as a snack for specific daily occasions
- Graph 8: important attributes, by gender and age group, 2025
- Ice creams that offer solutions for female consumers’ routines
- Attitudes related to ice cream consumption
- Ice cream in small portions can satisfy the cravings of consumers focused on healthy eating habits
- Mini formats of ice cream make it easier to understand the ideal portion size
- Retailers can invest in private-label ice cream, emphasizing quality
- Graph 9: attitudes related to ice cream consumption, by age groups, 2025
- Private label should highlight the quality of ice cream parlors with retail price
- Attitudes toward frozen treats
- Fruit-based desserts are perceived as a healthy and indulgent option
- Emphasizing the presence of nutrients, products enhance their value by strengthening the connection to healthiness
- Premium desserts can invest in products made from other types of dairy
- Graph 10: interest in healthy frozen treats made from other types of dairy, by socioeconomic group, 2025
- Healthy attributes appeal to AB consumers
- Graph 11: interest and willingness to pay more for ice creams/frozen treats, 2025
- Dairy products can offer a nutritional profile more in line with what AB consumers are looking for
- Special editions of frozen desserts generate engagement and increase the foodservice medium ticket
- Graph 12: attitudes about frozen treats, by age group, 2025
- Sweets and desserts gain the status of gifts
- At home or in ice cream parlors, special occasions call for extra indulgence
- In addition to traditional celebrations, new commemorative occasions can inspire the creation of desserts
- Features of interest in ice cream and frozen novelties
- In the wake of the growing unpopularity of ultra-processed foods, natural ingredients top consumers wish list
- Seeking inspiration in the yogurt category: offer indulgent flavors, highlighting healthy attributes
- Go beyond the ingredients, showing a simplified production process
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Key Players
- Marketing campaigns and actions
- Kibon bets on nostalgia by reviving the ‘Palito Premiado’ promotion
- Other brands ride the ‘Palito Premiado’ success, and Kibon mocks ‘copies’
- Collaboration between Hope Resort and Bacio di Latte introduces a beachwear collection
- Kibon made its presence felt at Carnival 2025
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THE MARKET
- Rising food and drink inflation should impact non-essential categories
- Graph 13: National Consumer Price Index over 12 months, 2024-25
- With the rising cost of food, ice cream and frozen novelties may be excluded from the shopping basket
- More expensive plastic packaging drives food and drink production costs, impacting the ice cream and dessert categories
- The shortage of cocoa in the market has driven prices up, affecting the production costs of ice cream and desserts
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APPENDIX – Definition, Methodology and Abbreviations
- Report definition
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
Mintel: Market Intelligence Made Easier
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
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- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
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What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
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The Four Pillars of Our Research
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Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
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