This summer, the ice cream market has seen a new wave of product innovation. Shenzhen International Food Exhibition noticed that unlike previous years which focused on exotic flavors, this year’s new ice cream products emphasize creative designs and raw material innovation, showing unique development trends. 

Innovative designs have become the most notable feature of this year’s ice cream market. Naimi’s "Big Chicken Leg Vanilla Ice Cream", with its lifelike fried chicken leg shape, has sparked discussions on social platforms. Subsequently, brands like Aoxue and Murongxue have launched similar products. Shenzhen International Food Exhibition learned that these uniquely designed ice creams generally adopt traditional flavors such as vanilla and milk to lower consumers’ trial barriers. Yangzijiang Pulala’s products like "Durian Hammer" and "Quarter Coconut" enhance product interest through interactive gameplay. 

The rise of frozen fruit ice cream is another highlight. Multiple brands have launched frozen products containing only fruit ingredients, such as Naimi’s "Whole Mango Frozen" and Nanpai Farm’s "Thai Fragrant Pineapple". These products are marketed as natural and healthy, with prices ranging from 6 to 10 yuan. However, due to high requirements for raw material storage and difficulties in controlling taste, the variety of frozen fruit ice creams available on the market remains limited. 

It is worth noting that despite the continuous emergence of new products, market feedback is clearly divided. Many distributors stated that products with novel designs often fade away quickly and struggle to achieve sustained sales. Data from Mashangying shows that among the top 10 best-selling ice creams in South China, 8 are classic products priced at 1-2 yuan, mostly old models from brands like Yili that have been on the market for more than a decade. 

In terms of pricing, the ice cream market as a whole shows a downward trend this year. Among the 20 new products launched by Yili in 2025, only 3 are priced above 10 yuan, and 14 are below 5 yuan. "Renyang Yitou Niu", a new entrant to the ice cream market, has also adjusted its product prices to the 5-10 yuan range. This change reflects consumers’ preference for cost-effective products. 

Industry experts pointed out that although innovative products can quickly gain attention through social platforms, long-term development still requires returning to the essence of the product. Zhu Danpeng, vice president of the Guangdong Food Safety Protection Association, stated that how to convert short-term popularity into sustained competitiveness is a key challenge for emerging ice cream brands. 

The current ice cream market presents a situation where innovation coexists with tradition. On one hand, brands attract consumers through creative designs and raw material innovation; on the other hand, classic products maintain their dominant position in the market with stable quality and affordable prices. This pattern reflects that while consumers pursue new experiences, they also value product cost-effectiveness and taste.

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Source: Consumer Reports

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