Sixties flavors, monk fruit & fewer calories: Arctic Zero innovates in frozen dessert category
The new products include Brownie Blast, Snickerdoodle Dandy and Banana Pudding Chunky Pints; Cake Batter and Poppin’ Pomegranate Creamy Pints; and Mint and Salted Caramel Chocolate-Dipped Bars.
All these new products are health-conscious, Artic Zero CEO, Amit Pandhi, told ConfectioneryNews, because they are non-GMO, fat-free, protein-fortified and low-calories. He added that his company is among the first manufacturers of frozen dessert in the US to use monk fruit as a sweetener.
“No one is doing what we are doing; no one is competing with us,” Pandhi said.
Adding new sales channels
According to the company's own report, it ranks eighth in selling pint brand frozen desserts in grocery.
In the New Year, Pandhi said the company is focused on increasing distribution through adding new channels, such as food services and international groceries.
“We are pitching them with our products, and we are also looking for hotels, restaurants, cafes that don’t have healthy alternative frozen dessert,” he said.
Currently, Arctic Zero’s products are sold in major national grocers and retailers, such as Kroger and Walmart, and Whole Foods, and this year, they hope to sell their products at Target.
Products are also sold on Amazon. “We are absolutely taking advantage of e-commerce. A lot of countries where people want healthy frozen dessert, but they wouldn’t find in their local grocery stores.” said Pandhi.
The firm has yet to enter export markets because international distribution of frozen food can be a challenge, however, Pandhi said thousands of consumers from all over the world reach out to his company every week through social media, phone calls and emails to their products.
“There are people from Israel, Middle East and Australia,” he said.
Flavour trend: what’s old is new
The CEO expects frozen desserts will continue to become healthier, more functional and nutritionally dense and he anticipates consumer tastes will evolve.
“...The basic cold and sweet flavor profiles won’t cut it in the future. Shoppers are increasingly looking for a mix of sweet and savory, ethnic and bold flavors, so innovation on new flavor development will be needed to keep them from flavor fatigue.”
As for Arctic Zero’s seven new products, Pandhi said they brought back some classic flavors that were popular around 50’s and 60’s.
“’What’s old is new’ is the trend [in frozen dessert] right now,” Pandhi said.
“During the next 10 years, I predict we’ll see frozen desserts become more nutritious overall, more flavorful, and made with cleaner ingredients – including savory ones – to fulfill evolving consumer tastes and need-states,” he continued.
