London - There was a time when we were content with a soft-serve coneto take the heat out of a summer’s day.
British tastes in ice cream, however, have moved on.
Thanks to the demands of consumers looking for something a little more exotic on the top of their cone, there has been a boom in specialist ice cream suppliers.
Among flavours now available in the shops are the likes of chilli, chocolate porridge, Red Bull and Christmas pudding.
For those a little health conscious there’s even a green tea variety.
The number of specialist ice cream makers has doubled in the past decade with the industry’s success being put down to innovation and investment by 100 “micro-manufacturers” that make original products. These small producers claim consumers favour upmarket products and are willing to pay for premium ingredients and unusual flavours.
Although specialist high-end producers account for just seven percent of the industry, they punch above their weight when it comes to their impact.
According to James Lambert, chairman of R&R, the biggest UK-based ice cream producer by sales, the number of small start-ups had doubled in the last five to ten years.
These producers often use traditional methods and locally-sourced ingredients to create novel flavours, he said.
Mr Lambert, who has been in the industry more than 25 years, added: “I see a lot more innovation at the specialist end of the business than is the case anywhere else in Europe.”
Chris Coughlan, managing director of specialist Norfolk-based ice cream maker Lakenham Creamery, said attention to detail was the key to success in the industry.
He said: “Some companies [in other sectors] concentrate on selling at a price and are less interested in quality; our motivation is the other way round.”
Total sales of ice cream in the UK last year totalled about £1.2-billion.
Anglo-Dutch giant Unilever accounts for 40 percent, R&R accounts for 30 percent and medium-sized players make up 20 percent.
Hazel Detsiny, from Unilever, said she ‘keeps a close eye’ on the small businesses.
“They often show a lot of creativity and quality that can give us new ideas about trends in the market.” - Daily Mail