Ice cream has enduring, global appeal. With around USD 92 billion in worldwide retail sales and a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6%, demand shows no sign of cooling.

But what, exactly, are shoppers craving from their frozen treats today?

Innovation is key

Ice cream is a highly indulgent category, and we know that innovation is key to capturing the attention of potential buyers. Knowing that ‘made with natural colors’ is the most important claim for consumers*, and that there is a strong search for quality in ice cream products, natural colors play a key role in ice cream innovation.

Oterra has looked at what excites ice cream consumers in four regions with Innova Market Insights to create a series of innovative concepts to help ice cream manufacturers bring new and tempting products to their markets.

Innova’s analysis of regional insights across LATAM, Europe, APAC, and NAM clearly reveal the key consumer needs. To successfully capitalize on this data, our efforts concentrated on four distinct trends that we have turned into reality in our curated Ice Cream Lookbooks to provide the technical and creative roadmap to master these trends using naturally derived colors.

From AI to reality

To bring these concepts to life, we prompted Artificial Intelligence tools informed by this research and our concepts to generate realistic images to inspire our customers without the usual boundaries and technical limitations.

These photorealistic images have been gathered together in Lookbooks that each represent one of the four concepts identified.

The first Lookbook focuses on Unique solutions with unconventional shapes, striking color and flavor pairings, and cross-category mashups.

Unique Shoppers are drawn to products that feel creative and unexpected. Unconventional shapes, striking color and flavor pairings, and cross-category mashups stand out on shelf.

Shaping the Market

Through this new Ice Cream Lookbook series, Oterra invites ice cream manufacturers to explore what’s next in the category and turn consumer trends into standout products.

Additional editions covering the other trends will be launched in the coming months.

The trends that will be featured are:

Sensory Ice cream is no longer just about taste. Color, texture, and flavor work together to create a multi-sensory experience that invites indulgence.

Snackable From portion-controlled treats to shareable bites, smaller formats continue to resonate across occasions and demographics.

Premium High-quality ingredients and indulgent formulations elevate ice cream from a simple snack to a moment of pleasure. Natural ingredients help balance indulgence with reassurance.

Discover how natural colors can help you create ice cream experiences that surprise, delight, and stand out on shelf.

The Regional Scoop

Across regions, one theme is clear: the global ice-cream market is driven by a desire for novelty, creativity, and memorable experiences.

• In Latin America, cocktail-inspired flavors, playful textures, and vibrant tropical colors take center stage.

• Across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, dessert mash-ups shine, blending authentic fruit colors with familiar flavors in new formats.

• Throughout Asia-Pacific, imaginative flavors and regionally inspired colors spark curiosity and delight.

• In North America, bold flavor fusions, dramatic hues, and inventive formats drive excitement.

*Innova – Innovation in Desserts and Ice Cream – Global 2025