C&I Retailing Magazine August-September 2021

Page 14

ICE CREAM

PLAYING IT

COOL New formats and flavours are bringing innovation to the ice cream freezer, writes Claire Hibbit.

I

ce cream remains a highly profitable category in the petrol and convenience channel (P&C).

According to Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), the ice cream category backed up a strong performance in 2019 growing 5.6 per cent and adding more than $17 million of value over the last two years*. Harry Hayward, Assistant Category Manager – Ice Cream, Unilever, says shifts in consumer behaviour during the pandemic have led to new shopper missions emerging within the convenience store channel, as well as the ice cream category within P&C. “If we have learnt anything from COVID-19, it is that consumers are living more flexible lives resulting in the 14  August/September 2021 | C&I | www.c-store.com.au

merging of once strict occasions such as working, leisure and consumption. Consequently, consumers are driven even more by convenience and fulfilling their ‘need state’. “The ‘needs for today’ mission is the most prolific shopper mission for ice cream and as such consumers are favouring quicker shopping trips in nearby convenience channels to instantly satisfy their hunger or craving.” According to Foukkare, the increase in ice cream spend was driven by single serve, which increased 32 per cent to $10. Take home ice cream share increased from five per cent in 2019 to eight per cent in 2020, while the snacking mission being the main mission for ice cream shoppers increased six points to 40 per cent in 2020*.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.