Food unio’s Latvian brand Pols is offering two new products that combine the latest trends in ice-cream – flavor and color combinations, popular portion sizes and environmentally-friendly packaging.

The brand has debuted a classic vanilla ice cream with condensed milk and a cotton candy ice cream innovation with marshmallows. 

According to Food unio, the latter is “perfect for those who enjoy more playful flavors and are still young at heart.”

Food unio’s team innovated these new products to reflect both traditional flavors and modern flavors, bringing customers comfort and nostalgia when they need it the most. 

“We hope that this winter season, consumers will explore the unique fusion of flavors that these new products offer,” says Normunds Staņēvičs, CEO of Food unio, Europe. 

Speaking with FoodIngredientsFirst, Sandra Usaceva, Food unio’s Ice Cream brand manager, says consumers love rich ice cream flavors in the winter. 

“This winter’s ice creams are inspired by popular trends found in dessert and beverage categories. The most popular products have rich sauces, chunks of cookie dough and nuts.”

Battle of the basics
When it comes to winter, consumers usually prefer indulgent, fulfilling and delightful flavors.

In the winter, consumers often “return to basics,” she reveals, highlighting a need for rich, sweet and creamy tastes, such as classic chocolate and vanilla flavors. 

“Consumers also prefer iconic dessert favorites in their ice creams, such as crème brûlée and tiramisu, or more recent favorites like chunks of cookie dough, sweet cinnamon buns and cookies and cream.”

“In some markets, we create specialty Christmas ice creams with roasted nuts, gingerbread, cinnamon and mandarin,” Usaceva continues. “This year in Estonia, we launched flavors of Premia ice cream like orange ice cream with almond paste and cowberry jam.”

“We don’t expect consumer’s preferences to change when it comes to their favorite treats this holiday season,” she flags.  

Christmas is one of the most popular holidays globally, and it can inspire childhood joy and nostalgia, more so this year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We want our ice cream to be delectable while conjuring up a swell of positive emotions in our consumers. Ice cream textures and tastes have evolved rapidly in the past few years,” Usaceva maintains. 

“We’ve taken the best of classic desserts, baked goods and popular drinks and made them into unique ice cream products. We have also adapted these popular products to accommodate a variety of lifestyles and diets, such as vegan, low-carb and keto.” 

Pandemic pressures
This year, we all have a responsibility to stay inside and do our part. People are undoubtedly tired of the restrictive rules put in place due to the COVID-19, Usaceva explains. 

“We have a long winter and spring ahead of us. Many people will deal with unpredictability in their jobs, a lack of social contact and life’s simplest pleasures, and will be spending more time at home.”

As an ice cream developer and producer, Food unio’s biggest challenge will be identifying the flavors and products that our consumers will want next spring after spending more than a year adjusting to these new living conditions. 

“We’re innovating during these hard economic times so that all of our consumers can continue to enjoy our products, no matter what their income or situation is,” she details. 

As the winter deepens and during the uncertainty around COVID-19, the group’s new flavors are comforting, exciting and nostalgic. Food unio’s innovation team spent months developing new flavor combinations and textures to bring consumers several novel products. 

“For us at Food unio, ice cream season is all year round. We enjoy delighting our consumers with new products that not only complement their summer experience but also offer a form of sensory comfort and escape in the winter,” adds Staņēvičs.

“And in times of uncertainty, people value what is familiar and trusted. Therefore, the flavors this autumn and winter season are inspired by all-time classics, childhood memories, and customer’s favorite desserts, in family-friendly packaging.”