{"id":118212,"date":"2026-10-22T18:00:40","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T22:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=118212"},"modified":"2026-10-21T02:49:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T06:49:47","slug":"forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/","title":{"rendered":"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Ice
Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You probably do it without thinking. You stand in the freezer aisle, scan the wild flavor options – cookie dough mashups, lavender-infused everything, charcoal swirls – and then quietly reach for the vanilla. Or the strawberry. Maybe the chocolate, because it has never let you down. It turns out you are far from alone, and there is real data behind your instinct. The frozen dessert world is experiencing a fascinating shift, and it is not toward the next avant-garde creation. It is pulling us right back to what we already know and love.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nostalgia is now the most powerful flavor<\/b><\/h2>\n

Since the peak of the Covid<\/a><\/strong> pandemic, retailers and insight analysts have repeatedly pointed to familiarity as a key sales driver across many categories of food and drink. What is trending right now, somewhat ironically, is the time-honored treat. Kantar reported a growth of 10% in the ice cream and desserts market during the 12 months to November 26, 2023, with the British Frozen Food Federation attributing much of that growth to the re-emerging trend of the big night in – people choosing to spend more on entertaining at home and reserving restaurant outings for special occasions.<\/span><\/p>\n

But does comfort alone explain a double-digit market surge? Not entirely. Mintel research found that 64% of adults are actively looking for premium ice cream in classic flavors such as vanilla. The firm links this craving directly to a desire for reassurance during the cost-of-living crisis and an ongoing pull toward nostalgia. In other words, when the world feels uncertain, we reach for what felt safe as children – and that instinct is reshaping what ends up in the freezer case.<\/span><\/p>\n

Simple sells – and the numbers prove it<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sally Newall, founder of Simply Ice Cream, confirms that her top sellers remain strawberry, vanilla, chocolate and honeycomb. Salted caramel, she notes, has graduated into what she considers a new classic and consistent bestseller, even though some retail buyers are less enthusiastic about it. Flavors come and go, Newall observes, but the majority of sales always land on those simpler options. Her business moved to a new site in 2022 specifically to meet growing demand, while also steering into the own-label arena.<\/span><\/p>\n

The pattern repeats in the gelato world. Paolo Pomposi, founder of Badiani Gelato, saw sales in his company jump by 23.7% between 2022 and 2023. His single biggest seller, Buontalenti, could hardly be more straightforward – it combines milk, sugar, cream and eggs. Together with its variations, including pistachio, hazelnuts and hazelnut chocolate spread, Buontalenti accounts for 55% of Badiani’s sales by volume. Pomposi attributes this preference to consumers leaning toward flavors that balance tradition with innovation, blending classic tastes with subtle twists.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gelato itself is distinct from traditional ice cream in an important way. It is made with a higher proportion of whole milk and less cream, contains less air and fat, and the result is a creamier texture with a more direct delivery of flavor. The use of natural ingredients – fresh fruits, nuts, chocolates – aligns with a growing consumer preference for real, wholesome foods.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ingredient label matters more than ever<\/b><\/h2>\n

A major part of the premium frozen dessert revival is what is <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> on the label. Newall believes a huge part of artisan ice cream’s appeal is its lack of ultra-processed ingredients, or UPFs, which continue to turn off increasingly aware consumers. She points out that many mass-market products do not even contain real dairy, relying instead on skimmed milk powder and fillers. From day one, Simply Ice Cream has kept things as natural as possible, a philosophy shared by Badiani Gelato.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Statista, 28% of ice cream consumers said they would be interested in trying vegan ice creams, and 26% expressed interest in reduced-sugar versions. The rise of vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, low-calorie and sugar-free options caters to the growing number of people who want frozen treats that fit their dietary needs and lifestyle choices without sacrificing taste or indulgence. Farm shops, delis and food halls remain crucial in this space – Newall notes they are often the only places consumers can find truly artisan-made ice cream, while supermarkets increasingly focus on own-label products and take market share from brands like Ben & Jerry’s.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the more adventurous, tropical and globally inspired flavors such as mango, black coconut, passion fruit, lychee, matcha, turmeric and ginger are gaining popularity, reflecting the influence of international cuisines and a desire for exciting sensory experiences. But even these bolder choices sit alongside, rather than replace, the classics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fieldfare’s Matt Whelan highlights that frozen desserts carry a practical advantage too – their long shelf life makes them a low-risk, minimal-waste option. During tighter economic times, consumers have cut back on big-ticket items while increasing purchases of more affordable everyday indulgences. Smaller, single-portion options like individually portioned puddings and pastries are ideal for these little moments of treat-yourself satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n

What this means for your next trip to the freezer<\/b><\/h2>\n

The frozen dessert aisle is quietly telling us something we already feel: you do not need the wildest flavor on the shelf to have a genuinely satisfying experience. The numbers confirm that vanilla is not boring – it is a deliberate, confident choice shared by the majority of consumers. Artisan makers are thriving by keeping ingredient lists short and honest, and the market<\/a><\/strong> is rewarding them for it. Next time you instinctively bypass the novelty pint for something simple, know that you are not stuck in the past. You are riding the wave.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42690,"featured_media":118213,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[3914],"yoast_head":"\nForgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts - Grazia USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You probably do it without thinking. You stand in the freezer aisle, scan the wild flavor options – cookie dough mashups, lavender-infused everything, charcoal swirls – and then quietly reach for the vanilla. Or the strawberry. Maybe the chocolate, because it has never let you down. It turns out you are far from alone, and...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Grazia USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-21T06:49:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/10\/FG-Trade-Latin.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Grazia Staff\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/9cb20bfe5dfe65f4234b31a4bdcbbf86\"},\"headline\":\"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-22T22:00:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-21T06:49:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/\"},\"wordCount\":949,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"People & Society\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/\",\"name\":\"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts - Grazia USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-22T22:00:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-21T06:49:47+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\",\"name\":\"Grazia USA\",\"description\":\"Driving Tastemakers in Fashion, Beauty and Culture\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Grazia USA\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/06\/grazia-usa.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/06\/grazia-usa.png\",\"width\":447,\"height\":447,\"caption\":\"Grazia USA\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/9cb20bfe5dfe65f4234b31a4bdcbbf86\",\"name\":\"Grazia Staff\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1cbcdc1e6c9da65d4dd86c3b2c6839c3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1cbcdc1e6c9da65d4dd86c3b2c6839c3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Grazia Staff\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/author\/usergrazia\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts - Grazia USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts","og_description":"You probably do it without thinking. You stand in the freezer aisle, scan the wild flavor options – cookie dough mashups, lavender-infused everything, charcoal swirls – and then quietly reach for the vanilla. Or the strawberry. Maybe the chocolate, because it has never let you down. It turns out you are far from alone, and...","og_url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/","og_site_name":"Grazia USA","article_modified_time":"2026-10-21T06:49:47+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/10\/FG-Trade-Latin.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/"},"author":{"name":"Grazia Staff","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/9cb20bfe5dfe65f4234b31a4bdcbbf86"},"headline":"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts","datePublished":"2026-10-22T22:00:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-21T06:49:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/"},"wordCount":949,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#organization"},"articleSection":["People & Society"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/","name":"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts - Grazia USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-10-22T22:00:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-21T06:49:47+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forgotten-ice-cream-flavors-are-returning-to-freezers-heres-why-according-to-industry-experts-25497\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Forgotten Ice Cream Flavors Are Returning To Freezers, Here\u2019s Why According to Industry Experts"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/","name":"Grazia USA","description":"Driving Tastemakers in Fashion, Beauty and Culture","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#organization","name":"Grazia USA","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/06\/grazia-usa.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/06\/grazia-usa.png","width":447,"height":447,"caption":"Grazia USA"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/9cb20bfe5dfe65f4234b31a4bdcbbf86","name":"Grazia Staff","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1cbcdc1e6c9da65d4dd86c3b2c6839c3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1cbcdc1e6c9da65d4dd86c3b2c6839c3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Grazia Staff"},"url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/author\/usergrazia\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Grazia USA","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/118212"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42690"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}