In July, CivicScience asked consumers 18 and older about the sweet snacks they’ve been indulging in during the coronavirus pandemic — specifically, ice cream. Nearly six months later, Breyers ice cream takes the lead as the ice cream Americans say they like to eat.
Competition among these brands clearly hasn’t waned with the onset of colder months. A recent trend that seems to be picking up speed is the number of dairy-free ice creams available in the frozen food aisles of grocery stores. Many dairy-free brands (such as Halo Top and SO Delicious) have solidified a space alongside classic cow’s milk delicacies, but major brands using traditional ice cream ingredients have also dipped into the trend.
At this point in time, 18% of American adults have tried and liked ice cream made from milk substitutes and another 6% plan to give them a taste.
And among those who have dabbled in dairy-free ice cream, almond milk is the most likely cow’s milk substitute they’ve tasted.
Dairy-free ice cream is largely an upper-middle-class treat with 47% of those making more than $150K or more a year reporting experience with it.
At the same time, intent to try is strong (7%) among those making $50K or less.
Respondents who were between 25 and 34 showed the most experience with dairy-free ice cream. Those over 55 are the least interested in making any milk substitutions when it comes to ice cream.
Among the major ice cream brands studied, those who prefer Ben & Jerry’s are the most likely frozen dessert eaters to say they have tried a dairy-free ice cream.
And while Edy’s and Turkey Hill are low on shoppers’ grocery lists compared to other brands, favorables of these appear to be tied for second-most likely to have tried a dairy-free ice cream.
