In the world of ice cream treats, being able to deliver delicious vanilla, chocolate and strawberry-flavoured ice cream is just the starting point for any consumer-focused company. For Food Union, a global scale ice cream and dairy producing and distributing group, crafting original products featuring unique flavours tied to local preferences becomes still more crucial given it is actively growing brands and delivering ice cream and other delicacies to a myriad of markets across Nordics, the Baltic states and into central and Eastern Europe.
Food Union Group is represented in Nordics by ice cream producers Premier Is and Isbjorn Is in Denmark and Norway respectively, and by ice cream door-step-delivery service companies Hjem Is and Den Norske Isbilen in Denmark and Norway respectively.
Said Normunds Staņēvičs, CEO of Food Union Europe: “Any company trying to entice customers to its offerings needs to show that it goes above and beyond: that it grasps their taste preferences and is able to deliver a constant stream of new, enticing and innovative products based on distinctive taste sensations. Food Union’s mission is to deliver products that delight the taste buds and warm the hearts of our customers. What appeals most to a customer in Nordics may be quite different from what a Lithuanian or Romanian consumer might prefer. Our teams are unlocking new preferences based on research so that we understand those nuances and deliver something to each group that they find delectable.”
Like many Northern Europeans, Norwegians love tart, salty liquorice. So, it’s no surprise that they have become avid consumers of Lakrispinne, introduced to the market by Food Union’s company Isbjorn Is and based on research it undertook into local market trends.
Commented Marvel Skreien Stigen, Head of Marketing and Communications at Isbjorn Is: “Lakrispinne is based on a delicious vanilla ice cream made from rich cream produced in western Norway, soft liquorice sticks topped off with an enticing liquorice glaze. And while Norwegians cherish ice cream products with deep roots in traditional flavours and food traditions, they also demonstrate a market interest in sampling bold new flavours formed on a fusion platform built on modern tastes. That’s where we’re strategically focusing on consumer segmentation and growth across our brands.”
In Denmark, consumers share the Norwegian craving for salty liquorice. In Copenhagen and beyond, they snap up Premier Is’s Bourbon Vanilla ice cream, which offers them the one-two punch of liquorice sauce and coating. Flavours that are richer and strike a self-indulgent note tend to appeal to customers regardless of what season it is: Danish ice cream aficionados enjoy creamy Bourbon Vanilla as much in winter as summer.
In other cases, Food Union has discovered, Danes have a distinctive preference for consuming certain kinds of flavours at specific times of the year.
Added Thomas Duholm Marcher, Head of Marketing and Innovations at Premier Is: “In the summer time it’s the water-based ice cream which is preferred, while in colder seasons it’s ice cream made on cream which is popular. Children are keen on ice cream in untraditional formats and shapes, has a distinctive taste and a pinch on surprise. A good example is our Astronaut ice cream which has a gummy bear gum in the ice cream, and our new Popstar with popping pieces inside launched for 2020 Summer season and has become one of our best sellers.
“Although Denmark is a relatively small country, there is also a big difference in taste preference depending on geographical location – East, West, South, North, big cities or countryside. In big cities we see that vegan and organic ice cream are growing together with fusion flavours such as mint and chocolate, berries and traditional cake inclusions. In countryside most popular ice cream items are nougat, vanilla with blackcurrants and traditional stracciatella cones. At the same time Ice cream cakes are used as dessert and especially in the western part of Denmark we still love the Danish lemon mousse which is sold under the brand Polar.” For more visit foodunion.com
