Ice Cream Market: $152.96 Billion by 2031 with Dairy Segment Holding 81.23% of the Revenue in 2025, Mordor Intelligence

The global ice cream market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.05% during 2026–2031, with North America leading growth at 30.87% in 2025.

HYDERABAD, TELANGANA, INDIA, July 31, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- According to Mordor Intelligence, the ice cream market size is projected to grow from USD 125.42 billion in 2026 to USD 152.96 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 4.05% during the forecast period (2026-2031). Market growth is being supported by the continued popularity of standard ice cream products alongside accelerating demand for premium, artisanal, and functional offerings. Rapid flavor innovation, expanding plant-based product portfolios, and the widespread adoption of quick-commerce platforms are driving higher consumer engagement and impulse purchases. At the same time, manufacturers are introducing high-protein, reduced-sugar, and GLP-1-friendly formulations to address evolving health preferences while maintaining premium positioning. Brands that combine clean-label ingredients, sustainable sourcing, and product innovation are strengthening retailer partnerships and enhancing long-term consumer loyalty.

Ice Cream Market Key Growth Factors

Premium and Functional Products Increase Category Value

The global ice cream market is increasingly shifting from volume-led expansion toward premium value creation. While standard ice cream continues to account for the majority of global sales, consumers are showing greater willingness to pay for artisanal recipes, indulgent flavors, and products offering additional nutritional benefits. High-protein, reduced-sugar, and functional ice creams are gaining momentum as manufacturers respond to growing demand for healthier indulgence.

This premiumization trend is enabling brands to improve average selling prices while differentiating themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Product innovation focused on texture, flavor combinations, ingredient quality, and nutritional value is expected to remain a key driver of future market growth.

Flavor Innovation and Plant-Based Alternatives Expand Consumer Choice

Manufacturers continue to introduce new flavor profiles, seasonal offerings, and limited-edition products to maintain consumer excitement and encourage repeat purchases. Global influences, regional tastes, and premium inclusions are helping brands attract younger consumers seeking differentiated dessert experiences.

Simultaneously, plant-based ice cream has evolved from a niche offering into a mainstream category. Advances in oat, almond, coconut, and other dairy-free formulations have significantly improved taste and texture, enabling manufacturers to reach vegan, lactose-intolerant, and flexitarian consumers while expanding overall category demand.

Clean-Label Positioning and Sustainability Strengthen Brand Loyalty

Consumers increasingly expect ice cream manufacturers to provide transparent ingredient labeling alongside environmentally responsible sourcing and packaging practices. Brands emphasizing natural ingredients, reduced artificial additives, recyclable packaging, and sustainable dairy sourcing are securing stronger retailer support while improving long-term consumer trust.

Although higher-quality ingredients and sustainability initiatives increase production costs, these investments enable manufacturers to strengthen premium positioning and build resilient brand equity within an evolving competitive landscape.

"As global food safety mandates and functional beverage demand reshape pH control requirements, our structural analysis maps shifting demand across synthetic and bio-based sourcing. Built on direct supply-chain auditing and objective volume tracking, this report equips commercial leaders with a verified, defensible foundation for strategic procurement and investment," says Bhavesh-Narasinha Varute, Senior Research Manager.

Ice Cream Market Recent Industry Developments

2026 – Leading manufacturers continued expanding premium, high-protein, and reduced-sugar product portfolios as health-conscious consumers increasingly sought indulgent products offering improved nutritional profiles and clean-label ingredients.

2025 – Quick-commerce platforms strengthened their role in frozen food retail, enabling faster delivery of ice cream products while increasing impulse purchasing and improving market accessibility across urban consumer segments.

Ice Cream Market Segment Insights

By Type

Standard Ice Cream

Novelties

Soft Serve

Specialty / Artisanal Ice Cream

By Category

Dairy

Non-Dairy

By Packaging Type

Pints

Tubs/Cups

Cones

Sticks

Other Packaging Types

By Distribution Channel

On-Trade

Off-Trade

Ice Cream Market Regional Insights

North America continues to account for the largest share of the global ice cream market, supported by high per-capita consumption, strong premium product demand, and well-established retail and foodservice infrastructure. Consumer preference for innovative flavors, functional formulations, and premium brands continues to support category value growth across the region.

Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing regional market through 2031, driven by rising disposable incomes, rapid urbanization, expanding organized retail networks, and increasing adoption of Western-style desserts. Growing investments in cold-chain infrastructure and digital grocery platforms are further strengthening regional demand.

Europe remains an important market for premium and artisanal ice cream, while South America, the Middle East, and Africa continue to present long-term opportunities as modern retail formats expand and consumer spending on packaged frozen desserts increases.

The ice cream market report is also available in the following languages:

Japanese: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/ja/industry-reports/ice-cream-market?utm_source=einpr

French: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/fr/industry-reports/ice-cream-market?utm_source=einpr

German: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/de/industry-reports/ice-cream-market?utm_source=einpr

Spanish: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/es/industry-reports/ice-cream-market?utm_source=einpr

Portuguese: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/pt/industry-reports/ice-cream-market?utm_source=einpr

Competitive Landscape

The global ice cream market remains highly competitive, with multinational manufacturers competing alongside regional brands and specialty producers through continuous product innovation, premiumization, and expanding distribution networks. Companies are increasingly investing in functional formulations, plant-based alternatives, sustainable packaging, and digital marketing strategies to strengthen consumer engagement and enhance brand differentiation.

Competitive intensity is also increasing across quick-commerce and e-commerce channels, where rapid fulfillment, exclusive product launches, and personalized promotions are becoming important differentiators. As consumer preferences continue evolving, manufacturers capable of combining innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainability leadership are expected to reinforce their market positions.

Key Companies in the Ice Cream Market

Nestlé S.A.

General Mills, Inc.

Blue Bell Creameries LP

Wells Enterprises Inc.

Lotte Corporation

Discover the latest trends, growth opportunities, and competitive developments in the Ice Cream Market: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/ice-cream-market?utm_source=einpr

Explore More Industry Research by Mordor Intelligence

Sunflower Oil Market: The global sunflower oil market is projected to reach USD 44.79 billion by 2031, growing at a 5.74% CAGR from its 2026 valuation of USD 33.89 billion. Category expansion is driven by structural catalysts, including palm oil substitution across Europe under strict deforestation mandates, expanding US and Brazilian renewable fuel targets favoring high-oleic cultivars, and recovering Ukrainian export logistics. To address shifting health preferences and manage geopolitical supply volatility, agribusiness processors are expanding cold-pressed offerings and high-value industrial applications.

Food Additives Market Share: The global food additives market size is set to expand from USD 149.96 billion in 2026 to USD 178.11 billion by 2031, tracking a steady CAGR of 3.5%. The market is transitioning from volume-led growth toward high-value innovation, as manufacturers re-engineer formulations to satisfy stringent clean-label requirements and non-GMO expectations. Consequently, ingredient suppliers are focusing R&D investments on naturally derived colorants, bio-preservatives, and advanced hydrocolloid texture systems that balance technical stability with transparent labeling.

Read Full Report: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/global-food-additives-market-industry?utm_source=einpr

Functional Proteins Market Size: The global functional proteins market is forecast to reach USD 14.62 billion by 2031, advancing at a 7.70% CAGR over the forecast period from its 2026 base value of USD 10.1 billion. Growth is anchored by regulatory modernization, precision fermentation approvals, and technological breakthroughs in alternative protein extraction across food, nutraceutical, and cosmetic value chains. In response to heightened regulatory oversight such as the FDA phasing out self-affirmed GRAS pathways, commercial formulators are prioritizing formally validated, non-allergenic plant and microbial protein systems.

About Mordor Intelligence:

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