As the old song says, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.” And we just can’t get enough of it!
Did you know that 9% of all milk that U.S. dairy farmers produce is used to make our favorite cold, creamy indulgence? Pick any two-week period, and you’ll find 40% of us Americans enjoying ice cream. On average, we do it 28.5 times each year.
Whether it’s ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato or other similar frozen desserts, the U.S. demand for them means that 1.5 billion gallons will be made yearly. 90% of households make these sweet frozen treats a regular part of their lives.
Frozen yogurt shops increased in popularity so quickly that there were nearly 2600 of them by the end of 2013, spawning a healthy side market for frozen yogurt cups, tasting spoons and shop supplies.
Gelato, perhaps less familiar to many, contains 25 to 30% air compared to the average 50% of ice cream, and its milkfat content is 3 to 8%. Ice cream must contain at least 10%.
Of all the ice cream flavors to choose from, 28% of us still love vanilla the most. And we prefer premium ice cream, with its higher fat content, to regular. But there’s always strong demand for low-fat options and frozen yogurt as well.
