Ice Cream Market Report 2026

Ice Cream Market Overview

• Ice Cream market size has reached to $43.9 billion in 2025 • Expected to grow to $59.13 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3% • Growth Driver: Rising Consumer Expenditure on Fast Food Set To Drive Ice Cream Market Growth • Market Trend: Increasing Practices On Sustainable Practices In Ice Cream Market • Asia-Pacific was the largest region and fastest growing region.

What Is Covered Under Ice Cream Market?

Ice cream is a frozen delicacy made from milk, cream, sugar, and occasionally additional components. It usually combines stabilizers, such as gluten, which aids in the consistency of the mixture, in addition to sugar or sugar substitutes, which are typically added to give the sweet flavor. The main types of ice cream are impulse ice cream, take-home ice cream, and artisanal ice cream. Impulse ice creams are liquid-based frozen snacks on a stick. The various flavors involved are chocolate, fruit and others which are packed in cups, cones, sticks, bricks, tubs and others. It is available in dairy and non-dairy categories for sale in hypermarkets or supermarkets, ice cream parlors, online retailers, and others.

What Is The Ice Cream Market Growth Forecast?

The ice cream market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $59.13 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for plant-based desserts, rising innovation in low-sugar formulations, expansion of online frozen food delivery, growing focus on sustainable packaging, increasing premiumization of frozen desserts. Major trends in the forecast period include rising demand for premium and artisanal ice cream, growing popularity of non-dairy and plant-based ice cream, expansion of novel and exotic flavor profiles, increasing focus on clean-label ingredients, enhanced packaging and cold chain innovation.

Global Ice Cream Market Segmentation

1) By Type: Impulse Ice Cream, Take-Home Ice Cream, Artisanal Ice Cream 2) By Flavor: Vanilla, Chocolate, Fruit, Other Flavors 3) By Packaging: Cup, Cone, Stick, Brick, Tub, Other Packaging 4) By Category: Dairy, Non-Dairy 5) By Distribution Channels: Hypermarket Or Supermarket, Ice Cream Parlor, Online Retailer, Other Distribution Channels Subsegments: 1) By Impulse Ice Cream: Single-Serve Cups, Cones, Bars And Popsicles, Sandwiches 2) By Take-Home Ice Cream: Family-Sized Tubs, Multi-Pack Containers 3) By Artisanal Ice Cream: Small Batch Ice Cream, Gourmet Flavors, Organic And Natural Ingredients

What Is The Driver Of The Ice Cream Market?

Increasing consumer expenditure on fast food is expected to propel the growth of the ice cream market going forward. Consumer expenditure on fast food is the total amount of money spent by individuals and families on fast food items. Fast food and ice cream are both considered indulgent and handy meal alternatives that cater to similar customer tastes. Fast food restaurants frequently provide ice cream as a dessert option, making it easy for customers to include it in their purchases. Additionally, the growing café culture among millennials has boosted consumer spending on fast food. For instance, in August 2024, according to the Economic Research Service (ERS), a US-based principal agency of the USDA, in the United States, per capita spending on food away from home (including fast food) increased by 12.0% from 2022 to 2023, rising from $4,004 to $4,485 per person in 2023. Therefore, the increasing consumer expenditure on fast food will drive the fast food market.

What Is The Driver Of The Ice Cream Market?

Increasing consumer expenditure on fast food is expected to propel the growth of the ice cream market going forward. Consumer expenditure on fast food is the total amount of money spent by individuals and families on fast food items. Fast food and ice cream are both considered indulgent and handy meal alternatives that cater to similar customer tastes. Fast food restaurants frequently provide ice cream as a dessert option, making it easy for customers to include it in their purchases. Additionally, the growing café culture among millennials has boosted consumer spending on fast food. For instance, in August 2024, according to the Economic Research Service (ERS), a US-based principal agency of the USDA, in the United States, per capita spending on food away from home (including fast food) increased by 12.0% from 2022 to 2023, rising from $4,004 to $4,485 per person in 2023. Therefore, the increasing consumer expenditure on fast food will drive the fast food market.

Global Ice Cream Market Trends and Insights

Major companies operating in the ice cream market are focusing on product innovations, such as plant-based and low-calorie options, to provide consumers with healthier alternatives while maintaining the traditional indulgence associated with ice cream. Mochi ice cream is a Japanese dessert consisting of small balls of ice cream wrapped in a chewy, sweet rice cake made from glutinous rice flour (mochi), offering a unique texture and flavor combination. For instance, in March 2023, Mochidoki, a US-based ice cream company, announced mochi ice cream brand is expanding its retail footprint to include 40 Amazon Fresh delivery regions offering five of the brand’s most popular flavours: Vanilla Chip, Strawberry, Cake Batter, Vegan Mango and Vegan Passionfruit.

What Are Latest Mergers And Acquisitions In The Ice Cream Market?

In January 2025, Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, a US-based investment management firm acquired YSCO for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, Davidson Kempner aims to accelerate its strategic push to build a leading global third-party ice-cream manufacturing platform by combining scale, production capacity and retailer relationships. YSCO NV is a Belgium-based ice-cream manufacturer that specializes in producing private-label ice cream.

Regional Outlook

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the ice cream market in 2025. Asia-pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the ice cream market report during the forecast period. The regions covered in this market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in this market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada

What Defines the Ice Cream Market?

The ice cream market consists of sales of gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbet, soft serve, mochi, sherbert, rolled ice cream. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

How is Market Value Defined and Measured?

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified). The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

What Key Data and Analysis Are Included in the Ice Cream Market Report 2026?

The ice cream market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides market statistics, including industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the market share, detailed market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the ice cream industry. The market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future state of the industry.