What’s Happening to the Ice Cream Industry? Is it “Akagi Milk Industry” that has achieved “gutsy” growth that will win the new era?
Morinaga, Meiji, Lotte, Ezaki Glico, Akagi Milk Industry, Imuraya, and Haagen-Dazs are going head-to-head!
There is a fast-growing company
The days when milky and rich flavors were favored seem to be over.
The ice cream industry is currently undergoing a major transformation. The battle to develop standard flavors such as vanilla, which used to be unrivaled in the industry, has stalled, and unique products that were unimaginable a few years ago are now being sold in large quantities. In particular, “pistachio,” “stracciatella,” “mango,” “aloe,” “acai bowl,” and “jasmine tea” are considered to be this summer’s trends. What in the world is happening to the ice cream industry? Ice cream researcher Sislina Arai explains.
Morinaga Milk Industry, whose mainstay products such as “Pinot,” “Mau” and “Palm” are classified as ice cream with high milk fat content, is also trying to capture the recent demand for “assari.
Morinaga Milk Industry, whose mainstay products such as “Mou” and “Palm” are classified as ice cream with a high percentage of milk fat, has been trying to capture the recent demand for “ice cream. Palm Gelato Chocolat & Crimson Berry” is scheduled to be released in June this year. We are also introducing other trendy products such as “Mo Huayagu Jasmine Milk Tea” and “Morinaga Aloe Yogurt Flavor Bar”.
In October 2011, “Meiji,” which has “Meiji Essle Super Cup,” launched “Meiji The Premium,” which is sold for its richness with plenty of fresh cream. However, sales did not grow as expected, and the company continues to struggle. The next mainstay candidate for “Meiji” is “Meiji Bulgaria Frozen Yogurt” launched in 2010. It is currently growing steadily, including the release of a trendy aloe flavor.
Ezaki Glico, which sells “Giant Corn” and“Papico,” has succeeded in “gelato-izing” its main product, “Ice Cream Seeds.
When it was first launched in 1986, it was a sorbet, but now the process has been changed to a thick gelato, with the amount of juice adjusted according to the season. The same grape flavor is changed to a refreshing 55% juice finish using seasonal grape grapes in hot summer, and to a thicker 80% juice finish in spring and fall. The gelato inside is coated with a thin layer of ice, so it is not sticky even when held directly” (Matsubayashi, above). )
Growing at a Flying Bird’s Pace
Ezaki Glico is the industry leader in the field of low-calorie and health-conscious ice cream. SUNAO,” which claims to have “less than 10 grams of sugar” and be “full of dietary fiber,” has become very popular among calorie-conscious women, and is now being sold in supermarkets nationwide.
The product is assortment, low-calorie, and trendy flavors. These are the three keywords in today’s increasingly intense ice cream industry, and there is one company that has been growing at a rapid pace.
Akagi Milk Industry, which sold Garigari-kun ice cream in the mid-20 billion yen range in the 2000s, is now one of the largest ice cream companies in Japan, with annual sales of nearly 60 billion yen. Akagi Milk Industry is a strong summer manufacturer with its mainstay ice products, “Garigari-kun” and the “Gatunto” series. The company has successfully taken advantage of the “Assalibu” boom, and is also holding onto trendy flavors such as “Gatunto, and Aloe (box)”. In addition, we have a strong relationship with convenience stores, such as selling Akagi Acai Bowl Ice Bars exclusively at FamilyMart, which has resulted in stable sales,” says Arai.
Behind this is the company’s superior production and planning capabilities that outstrip those of its competitors. New employees of Akagi Milk Industry’s Product Development Department are required to come up with 1,000 plans in a year, and the new products they create are produced at the company’s own factory, which is one of the largest in the industry.
Many companies order the production of new products from outside factories. Akagi Milk Industry, however, has an abundance of its own factories, assuming that new products will be developed in large quantities. That is why we are able to launch unique products with a sense of speed and grow without missing out on trends.
Who will win the new era: Lotte, the pioneer of the “assortment boom,” or Akagi Milk Industry, which has achieved rapid growth?
From the June 20, 2025 issue of FRIDAY
