The U.S. retail ice cream segment certainly has seen easier times. According to “Ice Cream and Frozen Novelties — U.S.,” a report published in May 2019 by global market research firm Mintel, the mature and diverse category is “finding growth elusive.”
Data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI certainly mesh with those findings. In fact, during the 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2019, the retail ice cream/sherbet category actually lost ground, with dollar sales falling 0.9% to $6,784.3 million. Unit sales took a 2.5% dive to 1,770.2 million.