As winter ends earlier than expected, the mercury level has risen beyond 30°C in January, and people are flocking to ice cream parlors to beat the heat. Anticipating a surge in sales, ice cream makers like Amul, Mother Dairy, and Havmor are launching new flavors in the market, with 13-15 variants expected to be introduced this summer. Many companies are planning to launch new products in late February due to the harsh weather conditions.
Experts predict a 25-30% surge in demand for ice cream this season, which is expected to be hotter than usual. Banking professional Monica Advani noted that office workers are now preferring ice cream over tea during breaks to cool down, and some are even ordering ice cream online to avoid going out in the heat. Jayen Mehta, MD of Amul, stated that the company has an advantage with the early onset of summer and has already started investing in advertising and brand building. They will also promote big packs like two-liter packs for home consumption.
Mother Dairy’s MD, Manish Bandlish, said that the company expects a significant surge in demand for categories like ice cream and curd, and they will roll out 25 new offerings from this month onwards. Havmor Ice Cream is planning to launch innovative flavors featuring the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has introduced a four-layered ice cream with jelly, ice cream, coating, and biscuits. Amul has increased its capacity by over 50% in a year and has prepared for distribution expansion in advance.
The demand for ice cream is not just limited to the young, as families are also visiting parlors late in the evening to escape the heat. However, many diet-conscious people are opting for ice creams with lower calories. With the early onset of summer, ice cream companies are ramping up production and rolling out new offers and promotional deals to meet the expected surge in demand. As the summer season is expected to be hotter than usual, the ice cream industry is poised for a significant growth, with companies introducing new and innovative products to cater to the growing demand.