Frozen and ice cream are two of the most exciting categories in food right now. Discover the latest flavour trends, best-selling brands and must-stock NPD driving growth in 2025.

Frozen food is no longer just a freezer filler — it’s fast becoming one of the most dynamic and creative categories in grocery. The UK frozen and ice cream market is evolving rapidly, offering premium experiences, international inspiration, and innovative new products across both indulgent and everyday occasions.

At UF International, we’re proud to support our global partners with a carefully curated frozen range that reflects where the market is heading next.

Frozen Category Overview: Steady Growth, New Perspectives

Excluding ice cream, the UK frozen category achieved +1.6% value growth and +0.4% in units. This signals a gradual but solid shift in shopper perceptions — frozen food is now seen as fresh, convenient, and versatile.

• Retailers are investing in packaging, in-store placement, and digital promotion

• Online grocery platforms are spotlighting frozen meals in curated themes like “Quick Dinners” and “Plant-Based Picks”

• 74% of shoppers now agree frozen food can be just as good as fresh (Savvy Shopper Survey, 2024)

Key growth areas include frozen vegetables, savoury bakery, snacks, and desserts, all benefiting from lower average prices and increased shopper demand.

Ice Cream: Snacking, Indulgence & Cultural Fusion

Despite the cooler summer in 2024, the ice cream market grew +5.8% in value, even as volumes dropped -2.6%. Retailers have responded by repositioning handheld ice creams as on-the-go snacks and adding them to meal deals.

Mini snacking formats (e.g. Cadbury Dairy Milk Minis, Haagen-Dazs Bites) are helping brands reach new consumption occasions.

Meanwhile, luxury ice cream tubs (around 568ml) are booming — up +8.9% in value, with brands like Ben & Jerry’s seeing +10.3% unit growth.

Flavour Trends: Global Inspiration Hits the Freezer Aisle

Consumers are seeking new flavour adventures, with Asian and Mediterranean profiles leading innovation.

Asian-inspired flavours:

• Matcha green tea with British cream

• Black sesame & butterscotch

• Lychee & rose fusion

• Chocolate miso

• Yuzu citrus sorbet

Mediterranean and herbal twists:

• Basil-lime

• Lavender

• Basil and parmesan-infused desserts

At the same time, classic British flavours are getting a premium twist, often through regional collaborations. For example, Mackie’s created a localised ice cream blend with Aberdeenshire chocolate, butterscotch, and raspberry compote.

New Product Highlights for 2025

Several high-impact launches are creating buzz:

• Snickers White Ice Cream: Taps into the growing demand for white chocolate, which now accounts for 13% of multipack ice cream sales

• Magnum Utopia: A new range featuring double-layered ice cream marbled with sauces and crunchy encrusted coatings

• The Sidemen's “Sides” Range: YouTube stars bring six indulgent dessert tub flavours to the market, driving excitement among younger consumers

• McCain Vibes: A new snack innovation blending crisp and chip textures — perfect for the air fryer generation

• Itsu Chicken Soup Dumplings: Already a viral hit on TikTok with over 21 million views

Top Brand Performers

Handheld Ice Cream (Value +4.9%)

• Cadbury Dairy Milk +29.2%

• Oreo +40.4%

• Solero +7.9%

Tubs (Value +7.6%)

• Mackie’s +27.4%

• Cadbury Dairy Milk +19.0%

• Swedish Glace +11.2%

Frozen Desserts & Cakes

• Almondy +42.8%

• Crosa & Mollica +37.1%

• Cadbury Dairy Milk +332.1%

How UF International Can Support You

From global flavour trends to retail-ready formats, UF International helps food and drink buyers around the world stay ahead of what’s next in frozen and ice cream.

✅ Export-ready frozen snacks, desserts and ice cream
✅ Trusted and emerging brands with growth momentum
✅ Tailored solutions for retail, wholesale and foodservice

👉 Get in touch with our team to explore listings and new product opportunities in this exciting and expanding category.

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