Industrial Ice Cream Market in the USA: trends, projections, opportunities

7 July 2025

The industrial ice cream market in the USA is experiencing a phase of sustained growth. Product innovations, changes in consumer preferences, and significant investments in the sector are transforming the industry, making it increasingly competitive and quality-oriented. Growing focus on wellness, sustainability, and flavor variety is pushing producers to invest in new technologies and targeted marketing strategies.

Industrial vs Artisanal Ice Cream Market

In the USA, industrial ice cream dominates the market over artisanal ice cream in terms of both volume and distribution. This segment comprises ice cream produced on an industrial scale and sold primarily in supermarkets, retail chains, and fast-food outlets. It is the most established segment and represents a significant share of global sales, which, according to estimates, accounts for the dominant portion of the global ice cream market (about 70–80% of total sales).

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Advantages of industrial ice cream in the United States:

  • Greater accessibility and widespread distribution
  • Lower prices compared to artisanal ice cream
  • Large-scale production enabling access to a broad customer base
  • Greater variety of flavors and formats, thanks to mass production

Market size and future projections

According to a recent market analysis, the U.S. ice cream market is valued at USD 19.51 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 22.41 billion by 2030, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR – Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 2.81% in the period 2025–2030.

This expansion is due to several factors:

  • growing demand for premium products;
  • increasing preference for healthy products, such as low-calorie, high-protein, or lactose-free ice creams;
  • development of online distribution, with more and more consumers buying frozen products via e-commerce;
  • expansion of the presence of global brands in local markets, with strategies tailored to U.S. consumer preferences.

Data confirm that the sector in the USA is continuously growing, and manufacturers of industrial ice cream machinery have the opportunity to provide increasingly efficient and cutting-edge solutions to meet this expanding demand.

A market driven by ice cream novelties

Within the industrial ice cream market, one of the most dynamic and fast-growing categories is that of ice cream novelties, and it is precisely in this segment that LAIeF positions itself with targeted technological solutions. This segment includes single-serve ice cream such as ice cream sticks, popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, and packaged ice cream cakes, often purchased on impulse both in supermarkets and on-the-go outlets.

In the United States, ice cream novelties account for a significant share of the market, thanks to their convenience, variety, and strong visual appeal. According to Mintel, single-serve products are particularly appreciated by younger consumers and families, who see them as a quick, convenient, and tasty snack.

Key trends in this segment include:

  • innovative formats and smaller portions, addressing the demand for calorie control;
  • creative and seasonal flavors, to stimulate impulse purchases;
  • eye-catching and sustainable packaging, designed to attract at first glance;
  • plant-based variants or those with added protein, to broaden the consumer base.

For companies like LAIeF, which design and build industrial machinery for the production of these specialties, a range of opportunities is emerging. The need for flexible production lines, capable of handling different formats and innovative ingredients, makes the development of high-tech solutions strategic to support brand creativity and industrial efficiency.

Consumption trends and consumer preferences

In the United States, the average per capita consumption is about 10 kg per year per person, a figure that places the country among the top ice cream consumers globally. In this context, the premium products segment among the ice cream novelties within the industrial ice cream category is experiencing significant growth. This category is characterized by:

  • selected ingredients: fresh milk, high-quality cream, pure chocolate, fresh fruit, without artificial flavors or colors;
  • lower air incorporation (low overrun): higher density and creaminess compared to standard industrial ice creams;
  • sophisticated flavors: in addition to the classics (vanilla, chocolate, pistachio), gourmet flavors like salted caramel, matcha, lavender, and exclusive combinations are increasingly in demand;
  • premium market positioning: often sold at higher prices, targeting quality-conscious consumers willing to pay more for a superior taste experience.

The best-selling flavors remain vanilla and chocolate, but consumer preferences are changing rapidly. Among the main emerging trends are:

  • health and wellness: rising demand for healthier alternatives, such as sugar-free, lactose-free, high-protein, or plant-based ice creams;
  • exploration of exotic flavors: American consumers are increasingly drawn to innovative flavors inspired by international cuisine;
  • natural ingredients and clean label: transparency in composition and absence of artificial colorants, preservatives, or chemical additives.

Current trends are driving the market toward greater specialization, with producers investing in new formulations and advanced technologies to meet the demands of an increasingly discerning clientele.

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Distribution channels and online sales

In the USA, the industrial ice cream market has traditionally relied on supermarkets and grocery stores as its main sales channels. However, the sector is undergoing a significant transformation thanks to the growth of the e-commerce channel, which is changing the way consumers purchase their favorite products. More and more companies are investing in e-commerce platforms, offering rapid delivery services to ensure product quality; digital commerce is allowing producers to bypass traditional channels, creating personalized offers with subscriptions, limited editions, and targeted marketing strategies.

In 2024, the growing consumer preference for at-home consumption rose to around 84%.

Investments in the sector and technological innovations

The industrial ice cream market in the United States is benefiting from significant investments by companies, which are focusing on:

  • new production processes to improve efficiency and reduce waste;
  • sustainable packaging, with compostable or recyclable materials, in response to growing demand for eco-friendly products;
  • automation and digitalization of production, to optimize time and costs.

Moreover, tools such as artificial intelligence and data analytics are becoming increasingly strategic for anticipating consumer preferences and customizing product offerings.

Opportunities for industrial ice cream machinery manufacturers

Companies operating in the production of industrial ice cream machinery, such as LAIeF, can greatly benefit from the current transformations in the U.S. market. The growing demand for premium ice cream among ice cream novelties, which are healthy and innovative, is driving the sector to invest in increasingly advanced technologies.

Here are some key opportunities for the industrial machinery sector:

  • more flexible and customizable machines, capable of producing ice creams with different textures, including those high in protein or plant-based;
  • energy efficiency, with systems that reduce consumption and improve production sustainability;
  • advanced automation, to increase product quality and safety, reduce waste, and improve productivity;
  • innovative sanitization systems, with faster cleaning cycles that comply with increasingly strict hygiene standards.

The industrial ice cream market in the USA is in a phase of continuous evolution, marked by stable growth and increasingly diverse demand. Companies that can innovate and adapt to new consumer needs will have a significant competitive advantage.

For machinery manufacturers such as LAIeF, this transformation represents a huge opportunity to develop cutting-edge solutions that enhance efficiency, quality, and sustainability. With a targeted strategy and investments in the right technologies, the industrial ice cream sector in the United States will continue to be a dynamic market full of opportunities for the future.

LAIeF machinery:

  • Linear and rotary machines for the industrial production of ice cream on stick, customizable in all their components (molds, dosing units, stick machine, granulator, packaging line) and suitable for high-quality ice cream production in large volumes.
  • Varying production capacities: up to 22,000 pieces.
  • Sandwich machines to produce ice cream sandwiches. This is a wide range offering differing levels of flexibility and capacity: from 3,000 up to 15,000 ice cream sandwiches per hour.
  • Machines for extruded ice cream cakes, where the final product is extruded continuously onto plastic trays, transported along the production line by a ladder chain.
  • Stainless steel wrapping machines, designed for the specific needs of an ice cream factory, where humidity and washing with chemical cleaning agents place the materials used under great strain.
  • Our Top Products, designed to create tailor-made ice cream for each of our customers.

Our customers

Uncle John Ice Cream
Gelato d’Italia
Sorvebom
Midor
Nestlé
Unilever