The market of glaciers - Germany

1.1 Scope of the study

Ice cream parlors are specialized food retailers that market ice cream and often produce it in a more or less artisanal way. Production is often from local products, with ice cream sold in more exotic and varied flavors than the traditional varieties found in large grocery stores (vanilla, chocolate, lemon, strawberry, etc.).

The global market is growing: it is expected to grow at an average rate of 6.8% between 2018 and 2025. Consumers value artisanal ice cream for its presentation, quality of ingredients, and wide range of exotic flavors. The market is dominated by North America, which accounts for around 41% of total sales. However, in terms of per capita consumption, New Zealand consumes the most ice cream in the world (28.4 liters per capita).

There are many retailers of artisanal ice cream around the world, and unlike the overall ice cream market, there are no giants that dominate the industry. Instead, suppliers are small, numerous, and very niche-oriented in their flavor assortments.

In Germany, total market sales for branded ice cream grew steadily by 0.6% per year on average between 2008 and 2017. However, a decline in sales has been observed since 2018. Between 2018 and 2021, sales have fallen by an average of 4.47% per year [Markeneis.de]. The number of ice cream parlors existing in Germany has also decreased by an average of 1.49% per year between 2002 and 2020[Statistisches Bundesamt].

A trend can be seen in increasing popularity in Fairtrade ice cream: Between 2011 and 2022, Faitrade ice cream generated sales growth of 25.42% per year. The most recent increase between 2021 and 2022 was 25.45% [Fairtrade Germany]. From this, it can be deduced that consumers are increasingly consuming high-quality ice cream, with sustainability and Fairtrade playing an important role.

Further trends of the industry as well as the typology of consumers will be examined in the following study. In addition, the structures of the market and the competitors on the market are analyzed in order to be able to draw insightful conclusions.