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Just the Facts

Overview

• About 1.54 billion gallons of ice cream, including both hard and soft-serve, were produced in 2008. Representing 25% of the entire frozen dairy product market, low-fat and nonfat ice cream production decreased by 1%, and production of the largest category, regular ice cream (61%), decreased by 1.4%.
• Based on ice cream consumption figures, the top five individual flavors in terms of share of segment in the United States are: vanilla (28.7%), chocolate (10.4%), cookie n' cream (4.4%), strawberry (3.9%) and chocolate chip mint (3.3%). Source: The NPD Group's National Eating Trends Services
• Ice cream and related frozen desserts are consumed by more than 90% of households in the United States. Source: Mintel

Production

• According to 2008 U.S. production figures, regular ice cream accounts for the largest share of the frozen dessert market, at 61.1%. Reduced-fat, light, low-fat and nonfat ice cream account for 25.4% of the market, followed by frozen yogurt (4.8%), water ice (3.8%), sherbet (3.9%) and other (0.9%). Source: USDA
• In 2008, California once again produced the largest volume of ice cream and related frozen desserts in the United States, followed by Indiana, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Missouri. Source: USDA
• The United States leads the world in annual production of ice cream and related frozen desserts at about 1.5 billion gallons in 2008. Source: USDA
• In 2008, about 8% of the milk produced in the U.S. was used to make frozen dairy products. Source: USDA

   

 Sales

• Overall sales of ice cream and sherbet for 2008 totaled $4.2 billion, an increase of .48%.
• Based on supermarket statistics in 2001*, ice cream volume sales by quality segment were: superpremium (3.5%), premium (51.5%) and regular (45%). Source: IRI
• Nearly 80% of supermarket ice cream sales are packaged in half-gallon containers. Source: IRI, 2001*

 Novelties

• Novelties are separately packaged single servings of a frozen dessert - such as ice cream sandwiches, fudge sticks, fruit and juice bars - that may or may not contain dairy ingredients.
• The total supermarket sales of frozen novelty market in 2008* was valued at $2.4 billion, up 1.63% over 2007. Source: IDFA Cultured Dairy Products & Ice Cream Report
• Vending machine sales of frozen novelties in 2007 totaled $916 million Source: Vending Times, Census of the Industry 2007

 International Review

• Total U.S. exports of ice cream reached more than 55,800 metric tons in 2008 - worth about $57 million. Source: USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service
• In 2008, Mexico was the single largest market for U.S. frozen dessert exports, with an estimated value of almost $25 million. Canada was the number two destination for U.S. frozen dessert exports, valued at $8.3 million. The Bahamas ($1.92 million), Russia ($1.91 million) and Netherland Antilles ($1.7 million) are third, fourth and fifth respectively. Source: USDA/ Foreign Agricultural Service

* Latest figures available to the International Ice Cream Association