This report explores the US dessert and confection industry, focusing on consumer preferences and product development. Expert analysis of how the market is performing provides the backdrop to form a clear picture of what consumers want from desserts and why.
Below, we provide the report scope, summarise some of the key areas covered, and offer handpicked insights from the report itself.
Report Scope
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel uses the following categories to define desserts and confections:
- Cakes, pastries and sweet goods
- Sweet biscuits and cookies
- Ice cream and frozen novelties
- Chocolate confections
- Non-chocolate confections
Key Areas Covered
- Consumer attitudes towards indulgence and indulgent flavours and ingredients.
- Consumer associations with dessert and confection innovation.
- Experience with and interest in different flavour styles for desserts and confection.
- Attitudes towards different marketing language for flavours and ingredients in dessert and confection.
US Dessert and Confections Industry Overview
The US dessert industry has seen growth due to increases in snacking behaviors and consumer stress, despite inflation and tales of cutbacks. Cookies and frozen novelties have seen the strongest sales growth, while non-dairy products have seen robust innovation and consumer curiosity. Consumers have adjusted their product choices to meet more fluid needs and occasions, but overall participation with desserts and confections remains unchanged.
Dessert and Confection Consumer Facts
- Dessert consumers are generationally divided. 53% of Baby Boomers prefer simple, high-quality desserts, while Millennials and Gen Z are more interested in a range of flavours and new-to-them innovations (45%). Honing down further, Mintel observes that older Gen Z want flavours that remind them of their childhood.
- Small moments of true indulgence win. Over-the-top versions of desserts (eg freakshakes) are unlikely to appeal long-term. As only half are seeking indulgence from desserts, improving the overall brand experience is likely to permit sustained growth.
- Women consume more dessert, and more types. This demographic is also the most open to new and innovative flavours and ingredients. Reaching women doesn’t mean hitting every mark, but picking a few and doing them well to stand out.
With this report, you’ll have access to expert strategic recommendations based on robust consumer research. Buy your copy today. Alternatively, you may be interested in our other dessert market research.
Brands Discussed
This report discusses a number of brands relevant to the scope. Case studies of successful brand innovation and marketing tie into an analysis of what appeals to consumers and why. Additionally, analysis of current, near, and future product development trends form a picture of where desserts are going.
Examples include how the “cereal milk” flavour has been reaching a broader consumer base since its beginning with NYC’s Milk bar, how and why products like Krusteaz Triple Chocolate Chunk cookie mix are competing well against the category average, and much more.
Additional Features Included in Your Report
Different Digital Formats: PDF for conveniently sharing with your team, PowerPoint for quickly including in your presentation, as well as an Excel Databook.
Mintel’s Clients Portal: Our portal offers instant access to actionable analysis and trends pieces relevant to your industry that are published almost daily. You can also browse for more market research reports.
Expert Analysis
Leading food analyst Michele Scott delivers an in-depth analysis of the US desserts industry with this report.
Despite innovation that has leaned into the whimsical and even outrageous, desserts and confections wild popularity doesn’t necessarily require bells and whistles to excite consumers. Simple, well-executed products will always have a place, as do small tweaks to classic options that can maintain familiarity alongside innovation.
Michele Scott
Associate Director, US Food and Drink
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top Takeaways
- Consumer trends
- Women are a target market
- Figure 1: Dessert consumption over the last 3 years, by gender, 2023
- Don’t overthink indulgence
- Figure 2: Attitudes towards Flavors, Ingredients and Indulgence, 2023
- Keep it simply, sweetly
- Figure 3: Attributes Associated with Innovative Flavors and Ingredients, 2023
- Competitive strategies
- Old flavors, old formats get new life together
- Figure 4: Foodservice repurposing of flavors into format
- Spicy/sweet flavors are a global endeavor
- Figure 5: Tajin Instagram campaigns, 2023
- Familiar elements keep trial “safe”
- Figure 6: Ingredient twists on favourite desserts, 2023
- Brand trust, familiarity eases into trial
- Figure 7: Brand partnerships/extensions, 2023
- Layer it on thick
- Figure 8: Layered desserts, 2023
- Opportunities
- Small tweaks, big opportunity
- Figure 9: Interest in Specific Flavor and Ingredient Styles, 2023
- Flavor’s big 3: visibility, availability and familiarity
- Figure 10: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, 2023
- Figure 11: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, 2023
- Flavor trends can start anywhere
- Figure 12: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, by gender, 2023
- Social trends cue dessert flavors
- Figure 13: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, by generation, 2023
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State of the Industry
- Indulgence is alive and well
- Figure 14: Market size of dessert and confection categories, YOY, 2023
- Figure 15: Trended types of desserts and confections consumed, 2022-23
- Widespread innovation dominated by “BFY” non-dairy
- Figure 16: Sweet dessert and confections product introductions, 2021 -23
- The future looks flavorful with new sources of inspiration
- Figure 17: Attitudes about flavour trial, 2023
- Indulgence is alive and well
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Market Drivers
- Restrictive eating often implies attention to sugar
- Figure 18: Changes in eating habits, 2022
- Position treats as affordable products that help people cope in stressful time
- Figure 19: Select ways that consumers save money on food and drink, 2023
- Indulgence, health remain a challenge to balance
- Figure 20: Attitudes toward health and indulgence, 2023
- Foodservice signals future of flavors
- Figure 21: US: top 10 dessert flavors, Q3 2019-Q3 2022
- Restrictive eating often implies attention to sugar
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Same flavor(s), new formats
- Figure 22: Foodservice repurposing of flavors into format
- Introduce flavor and ingredient potential by embracing traditions new and old
- Figure 23: Tajin Instagram campaigns, 2023
- The familiar maintains value amongst innovation
- Figure 24: Ingredient twists on favourite desserts, 2023
- Brand partnerships keep flavor, shift format
- Figure 25: Brand partnerships/extensions, 2023
- Layers bring texture, flavor and purchase interest
- Figure 26: Layered desserts, 2023
- Same flavor(s), new formats
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Product Development: Now – What’s Trending
- Sweet on its own, sweeter as an ingredient
- Figure 27: Candy as an ingredient, 2023
- Birthday cake, party cake AND sprinkles, OH MY
- Figure 28: Birthday cake and sprinkles, 2023
- Brownie does more as a flavour, ingredient
- Figure 29: Brownie as a flavor and ingredient, 2023
- Sweet on its own, sweeter as an ingredient
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Product Development: Near – What to Watch for
- Beyond breakfast: cereal confections evolve morning flavors
- Figure 30: Cereal flavors, 2023
- Sweet, sticky cinnamon buns extend a trend
- Figure 31: Cinnamon bun as flavor, 2023
- Dulce de Leche enters the chat
- Figure 32: Dulce de leche, 2023
- Beyond breakfast: cereal confections evolve morning flavors
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Product Development: Next – What’s in the Pipeline
- Uncommon fruits offer unique spin on the more common
- Figure 33: Uncommon fruits, 2023
- Novel desserts are the trends of tomorrow
- Figure 34: Novel desserts as flavor, 2023
- Uncommon fruits offer unique spin on the more common
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The Dessert and Confection Consumer – Fast Facts
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Dessert and Confection Consumption
- Good things come in small packages
- Figure 35: Dessert consumption over the last 3 years, 2023
- Sweet teeth skew female
- Figure 36: Dessert consumption over the last 3 years, by gender, 2023
- Desserts as an occasion
- Figure 37: Dessert consumption over the last 3 years, by age, 2023
- Good things come in small packages
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Attitudes about Flavor and Texture
- Longer-term success requires being simply the best
- Figure 38: Attitudes about Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confection, 2023
- Women don’t shop on taste alone
- Figure 39: Attitudes about Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confection, by gender, 2023
- Simple still means anything but basic
- Figure 40: Attitudes about Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confection, by generation, 2023
- Longer-term success requires being simply the best
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Attributes Associated with Innovative Flavors and Ingredients
- Simple approaches have broad appeal
- Figure 41: Attributes Associated with Innovative Flavors and Ingredients, 2023
- Women want more
- Figure 42: Attributes Associated with Innovative Flavors and Ingredients, by gender, 2023
- Some trends will remain generational
- Figure 43: Attributes Associated with Innovative Flavors and Ingredients, by generation, 2023
- Simple approaches have broad appeal
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Attitudes towards Flavors, Ingredients and Indulgence
- Simple pleasures remain important
- Figure 44: Attitudes towards Flavors, Ingredients and Indulgence, 2023
- Women want to, at least occasionally, indulge
- Figure 45: Attitudes towards Flavors, Ingredients and Indulgence, by gender, 2023
- Simple indulgence stands test of time
- Figure 46: Attitudes towards Flavors, Ingredients and Indulgence, by generation, 2023
- Simple pleasures remain important
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Interest in Flavor and Ingredient Styles
- Too much innovation is, simply, too much
- Figure 47: Interest in Specific Flavor and Ingredient Styles, 2023
- Basic, but better
- Figure 48: Interest in Specific Flavor and Ingredient Styles, by gender, 2023
- Innovation made for the internet
- Figure 49: Interest in Specific Flavor and Ingredient Styles, by generation, 2023
- Too much innovation is, simply, too much
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Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections
- Visibility, availability and familiarity intertwine towards interest
- High interest remains even after trial for familiar
- Figure 50: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, 2023
- Lack of access can halt flavor exploration
- Figure 51: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, 2023
- Same flavors, different formats
- Figure 52: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, by gender, 2023
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- Figure 53: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, by gender, 2023
- Figure 54: Ben and Jerry’s x New Belgium brand collaboration, 2023
- Social trends cue dessert flavors
- Figure 55: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, by generation, 2023
- Go global for younger gens
- Figure 56: Interest in Flavors and Ingredients in Desserts and Confections, by generation, 2023
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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Appendix: Flavorscape AI Methodology
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