How to Increase Ice Cream Sales in the Winter Months

Ice cream cups with lids

Summer is, unfortunately coming to an end. Many children are already back in school and the hustle and bustle of the school year has begun. Most dessert shops will soon see a decrease in their ice cream sales. People have less time in the fall. The weather is cooler. People are so busy with school and extracurricular activities. These are all common reasons for why desserts are less popular during the fall and winter months. Many ice cream businesses may struggle to stay in business during these months, especially if they did not sell enough ice cream throughout the spring and summer months.

There are about 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream and similar desserts produced in the United States every year. That is a lot of ice cream. However, a large percentage of it is consumed during the spring and summer months. What are some ways that these ice cream businesses can increase their ice cream sales all throughout the year? What are some ways to entice customers who are busy and less craving of the ice cream? There are a few ways to encourage the sales during these slower, winter months.

As much as 90% of U.S. households regularly indulge in a sweet, frozen treat. How do you get all of these households to want these sweet, frozen treats all year long? Colorful containers and colored spoons may actually help increase ice cream sales. There is something about the image of eating a cold ice cream on a warm summer day. When a family sees another family with these ice cream desserts, they want them also. The same idea goes for the colored spoons and serving containers. Colored spoons and colored frozen yogurt cups catch the eye of the person passing by. They are more tempted to pay attention to the contents of the container, and are more likely to come in for their own ice cream dessert.
Providing customers with healthier dessert options may also increase sales in the winter.

Most people feel justified eating ice cream when the temperature is hot. Less people may purchase ice cream during the cold, winter months because they do not see others do so. However, if you can provide them with a healthier dessert option, they may be more likely to purchase the option. Frozen yogurt is a great alternative. At the end of 2013, there were an estimated 2,582 frozen yogurt stores. This just shows you the success of frozen yogurt, during most months of the year.

Providing your customer?s with other dessert options besides ice cream and other frozen desserts may also be a good option. Warm drinks or coffee drinks may entire customers to come in during the colder months. Drinks can include warmer ingredients or just simply not contain any ice cream. Those who do not enjoy ice cream during the colder winter months will have a different dessert option.

The dessert supplies that you use will also matter. When people come for ice cream, they expect it to be of high quality and to taste good. If you use low quality ice cream supplies, the ice cream quality will lack. People will be less likely to return for more ice cream at a later date. You will need to be sure that you provide your customers with a product that they consistently want, all year long.

Most ice cream shops are very successful during the warm, summer months. However, that means that they struggle during the cold, winter months. Dessert businesses need to find different ways to encourage cream sales, all year long. They can take steps such as providing the customer with other dessert options, serving the ice cream desserts in colorful and exciting containers and using only the highest of quality of ice cream supplies. These things can improve the quality of the ice cream, making more customers want it all year long.

Ice Cream Throughout The World Three Different Types

Plastic tasting spoons

For many — perhaps even most — Americans, ice cream is a part of regular life. In fact, the average American is expected to consume ice cream 28.5 times a year. Ice cream is a soft, sweet treat that comes in a variety of flavors. Often, ice cream is one of the first “real” foods fed to a baby, due to its inoffensive nature and its softness. There’s something classic about ice cream, and it’s one of the few near-universal treats across the world. For example, you may not be able to find certain brands of candy bars across the world — but you certainly will be able to find ice cream across the world, if perhaps under a different name and with a slightly different consistency. In fact, 90% of American households regularly indulge in sweet, frozen treats. But then, there are a number of different frozen, sweet treats across the world; altogether, they are largely a lot like ice cream! From gelato to sorbet, you can taste a variety of different flavors and consistencies globally. By doing something as simple as picking up a plastic tasting spoon, you can transport yourself to a different country through taste. While vanilla remains the most popular ice cream flavor in the U.S. — at 28% according to a recent poll — other countries might have a different perspective. So: you might want to grab that plastic tasting spoon, because we’re going to look at different types of ice cream across the world.

1. Gelato

Gelato is probably the most widely type of “ice cream” known to Americans that isn’t, in fact, American. In fact, although gelato is Italian, some American ice cream brands now sell their own forms of gelato. Many Italians would refute this gelato as inauthentic, and with good reason. Italy has a number of artisanal gelato companies. Gelato shop owners will often proudly offer a plastic tasting spoon loaded with one flavor, and then the next. They’re confident that tasters will find a flavor that they love, and buy a gelato cup. The differences between gelato and ice cream are subtle, but important. In containing less air and more milkfat than ice cream, gelato tastes richer and has a creamier texture than ice cream. Flavors also tend to be more classic among traditional gelato makers, while American ice cream is bolder, and oftentimes “wackier”.

2. Ais Kacang

Unlike gelato, ais kacang is probably nothing that you’ve ever seen on a plastic tasting spoon before. This sweet treat is traditionally made in Singapore, and has a similar look to ice cream — and a similar purpose — but a different makeup. Originally, it was just made with shaved ice and red beans, the latter of which is common in many Asian desserts. It’s now usually brightly colored, offered with fruit cocktails and dressings — in everything from food courts to restaurants. It often contains sweet corn, grass jelly, and much more as ingredients. Evaporated milk, condensed milk, and coconut milk are also often included, as well as syrups. Chocolate syrup is included sometimes, perhaps as a result of the popularity of ice cream sundaes across the world.

3. Kulfi

Native to the Indian Subcontinent, kulfi has an ancient history. It’s seen by many as Indian ice cream, but there are certain differences that mark it as unique. Made through slow cooking, it involved evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. Its caramelization and slow cooking process give it a distinct flavor, which is often enhanced through the additions of dried fruit. Even the freezing of kulfi is slow, marking it as an artisanal product in the eyes of many. Kulfi is rarely seen without garnishes. These can include dried fruit, vermicelli noodles, and pistachio nuts. Syrups are common with this dish. On can only imagine what a relief it must be during a hot Indian summer!

Clearly, ice cream is defined in many ways. One thing is certain: we can’t live without our frozen sweet treats!