The ice cream sector had an upward start to 2024, having already recorded growth in turnover in 2023 thanks to the increase in its selling prices, and hopes to attract even more customers this year. Excluding logs, the sector generated 79.8 million euros in turnover in January and February 2024, compared to 77 million for the same period of 2023 and 76.9 million at the start of 2022, according to figures from the Nielsen firm presented Thursday during a press conference of the association of ice cream companies.
“We have a good start to the season,” said Timothée Arar-Jeantet, secretary general of the association. By 2023, sales had reached a record level of 1.5 billion euros – an increase in value due to inflation despite a drop in volumes of 3.1%. “The year was difficult, but ice cream remains a comfort product” and “despite an inflationary context (…) we demonstrated our resilience,” noted Sylvie Galliaerde, president of the professional association.
Some 24.4 million households purchased ice cream in 2023, a number almost frozen over a year but up 600,000 compared to 2021. Volumes are up 7.1% over two years, notes Nielsen. To attract customers, “innovation”, with “the diversification of recipes and flavors” remains “the heart of our strategy”, noted Sylvie Galliaerde. Among the growth vectors: miniature versions of cones, sticks and pots, popular with buyers last year. They come in fourth place among the most purchased formats, behind the undeniable stars of the frozen section: sticks, cones and tubs.
However, over the end of the year, and especially 2025, there is a meteoric rise in cocoa prices, which could lead to an increase in the prices of ice creams or logs using this ingredient, noted Fabrice Ducasse, general manager for France at Froneri ( Nestlé brands, in particular). For the period of the Paris Olympic Games this summer, Sylvie Galliaerde, also public relations manager for General Mills (Häagen-Dazs brand), especially expects an increase in footfall in stores.
