The ice cream industry is undergoing a major transformation! The latest trends are “Okinawa and Italy” and “Asari”!
Morinaga, Meiji, Lotte, Ezaki Glico, Akagi Milk Industry, Imuraya, and Haagen-Dazs go head-to-head!
The ice cream industry is “in a state of change”.
The days of milky and rich flavors 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 slowed down, 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.
You may be surprised by the variety of flavors that are suddenly being introduced, but they all have something in common, even though they seem disparate. The key word is “subtropical climate. In the past few years, Japan has been getting hotter and hotter, with more and more days and areas recording temperatures of 35°C or higher in the summer. As the climate changes, so does the human palate.
Many manufacturers have been searching for what tastes and textures Japanese consumers prefer in this increasingly subtropical climate. This is why they turned their attention to Italy, a major gelato producing country, and Okinawa, which has a subtropical climate.
Pistachio and stracciatella (milk flavor with finely torn chocolate) gelato are standard Italian sweets, while mango, aloe, and jasmine tea are Okinawa’s preferred flavors. What they both have in common is low milk fat content. What consumers want in the sweltering heat are products that push lightness and refreshment rather than thick ice cream. Ice cream critic Iceman Fukudome speaks of this.
Ice cream is classified into four categories according to the amount of milk solids and fat: ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice, and ice cream. According to data provided by the Japan Weather Association, when the temperature exceeds 30℃, “assorted” ice cream such as ice cream sells well. On the contrary, in cold winters, rich ice cream such as “Haagen-Dazs” is preferred.
Strong Rivals
Lotte, which is number one in the ice cream industry in terms of sales, specializes in the “assari” type of ice cream, which is truly a trend. Its flagship products, “Sou” and“Coolish,” are both lacto ice cream, and they are made by adding fine ice cubes to the ice cream to create a refreshing, dry sensation.
The ice in “Sou” is quite small, about 0.1 mm. This ice creates a unique crunchy sensation. In addition, the size of the fine ice contained in “Coolish” changes with the seasons. Medium size in spring and fall, small size in winter, and large size in summer. The time it takes for the ice cream to melt changes depending on the season, so we control the size of the ice for the optimum melt in the mouth for the consumer,” said confectionery expert Chihiro Matsubayashi.
Lotte is leading the assortment boom with the release this April of a new product , “Sou Melting Thick Ripe Mango,” which combines the original assortment of “Sou” with trendy flavors and has been very well received.
However, Lotte’s sales are by no means the best in the world, and there are many strong rivals just below the company. Morinaga Seika, which has a very long-selling product called “Choco Monaka Jumbo,” has been making a noticeable comeback with another classic product.
Ice Box,” launched in 1989, has recently become popular again. In addition to the refreshing sensation that only ice cream can provide, the popularity of videos on social networking sites showing how the product can be arranged with drinks and other ingredients has also contributed to the boom. The occasional limited-time release of translucent “Ice Box” cups is a device to make it easier to see the color of the drink in anticipation of the demand for more arrangements,” said Mr. Arai.
From the June 20, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY
