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Greek yoghurt ice creams: the new entry among Mediterranean specialities

19 April 2024

Atlante closes the Greek yoghurt ice cream season on a positive note

The 2023 ice cream season faced a notable impact from adverse weather conditions. While experiencing a 7% decrease in volume, it concurrently witnessed a nearly 6% increase in value, propelled by inflation, reaching an impressive €1,333 million.

In this context, Atlante was able to end the season on a positive note, offering a wide range of ice cream products, from protein ice cream to ice creams made with authentic Greek yoghurt.

New trendy recipes for frozen Greek yoghurt

As Marco Catinari, Category Manager at Atlante, reports in an interview in the March 2024 edition of FOOD, “The frozen Greek yoghurt category – ice creams made with authentic Greek yoghurt – is a niche segment, but it follows the consumption trends of Mediterranean specialities and Greek yoghurts, meeting the tastes of today’s consumers. A pivotal in consolidating the success of the category was the recipe revision, which reduced sugar content to align with current health trends.

One of the standout novelties of 2023 was the introduction of the bisco-gelato, which played a pivotal role in the season’s success. It consists of two fragrant biscuits filled with creamy ice cream made from authentic Greek yoghurt with only 2% fat. This product was specifically designed to follow the ice cream sandwich trend and is the perfect snack for anyone seeking a healthy and tasty treat.”

The protein boom extends its reach to the ice cream segment

The protein ice-cream segment is relatively recent but, in line with the high-protein trends that are conquering supermarket shelves, it has already gown by 33% in volume and 51% in value, gaining a market value of €2 million (Circana AT June 2023).

The surge of high-protein products persisted in 2023, affirming itself as a consolidated trend and securing an increasingly significant space in the shopping trolleys of Italian families and consumers looking for nutritional alternatives for a healthy and balanced diet. The ‘high-protein’ claim is at the top of the enriched product world and has seen a significant increase in sales (+9% in value vs. 2021) in the past year. In 2022 it topped the sales charts with a staggering €1.3 billion.

Capitalising on the protein phenomenon, many companies have expanded their offer of products featuring this claim on their labels, catering to the growing consumer demand for such products. This trend underscores a growing receptiveness among consumers toward innovative and nutritionally balanced offerings.

Communicating the distinctive features of Greek yoghurt ice cream

We emphasise the communication of our ice cream brands at both the packaging level and through clear messaging about the strengths of our products, aiming for maximum transparency and engagement. We also target relevant websites and social media platforms, particularly Facebook and Instagram, where we captivate users with posts, stories, ideas, recipes, and images. During the summer season, we focus on content cantered around ice cream, recognising it as one of our top seasonal products.