Canadians Enjoy Tasty Frozen Treats
By Angela Altass
Whether it’s a slush beverage, an ice cream, or other tasty indulgences, children and adults alike have been coming to convenience stores to purchase frozen treats for years.
According to Statistics Canada, there were 5.46 litres of ice cream available for per person consumption in 2020.
Chapman’s, a Canadian company based out of Markdale, Ontario that has been manufacturing ice cream for 50 years, notes that Canadians rank number six in the world when it comes to ice cream consumption, with the average Canadian enjoying close to 4.5 litres of ice cream every year.
Along with their 50th anniversary celebration comes a new look for Chapman’s flagship line with the introduction of Markdale Creamery ice cream. All original flavours will be transitioned to the new design by the end of 2023.
“The previous design was over 20 years old,” notes Lesya Chapman, marketing manager, Chapman’s. “We felt it was time for a refresh so we used an image of the original creamery to tie in both the new design and our heritage.”
Although it has a new look, the company carries on making the same traditional ice cream that Chapman’s was making in 1973.
“With this initiative, we proudly celebrate our history and heritage,” says Ashley Chapman, chief operating officer, Chapman’s. “Community is an important pillar of the Chapman’s brand and the new product line name pays homage to our small village of Markdale.”
Canada is the largest ice cream consumer during winter months and vanilla is the number one choice when it comes to flavours. As Canadians enjoy single-serve novelties, Chapman’s ice cream sandwich machine can produce up to 300 sandwiches a minute or 432,000 sandwiches per day.
“Many people enjoy the synergy between crunch wafers and smooth ice cream,” says Ashley. “And, sandwiches are a perfect on-the-go treat with a blend of vanilla and chocolate flavours.”
Chapman’s is launching a high-end Super Premium Plus ice cream across Canada this spring. The new ice cream is peanut, nut and egg free with flavours that include Vanilla Trilogy, Chocolate Lover, Cold Brew Coffee, Cherry Chocolate Truffle, The Only Strawberry, Salty Caramel Crunch, Cookie Jar, and Chocolate & Brownies.
“After 50 years of making ice cream, frozen yogurt and water ice products, we are moving into the next level with high end, super premium luxury,” says Lesya. “This is where we plan to compete against Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen Daz and, with strong support behind our brand across Canada, we hope this will be a successful launch.”
Th Super Premium Plus ice cream format and size is very popular among convenience stores, says Lesya.
“The small convenient size is perfect for small freezers in convenience stores,” says Lesya. “The flavour range is designed to target main flavour profiles to maximize overall sales and the quality of the product is exceptionally high.”
The majority of Canadians are looking for good value and extraordinary quality, notes Lesya.
“That is why we are continuously working on finding new ways to deliver more value to our customers while keeping the best product quality,” says Lesya. “We also see a massive increase in consumer support for Canadian-made goods. We continuously focus on Canadian dairy and other ingredients such as Canadian maple syrup, blueberries, peaches, etc.”
With this in mind, Lesya advises convenience store owners to promote Canadian products and also to promote allergy friendly choices in their frozen treat offerings.
“We are offering great looking freezer clings and we’ve customized various POS graphics for different customers,” notes Lesya.
Frozen carbonated and frozen uncarbonated beverages are treats that continue to remain popular with consumers, notes Jim Jackson, president, Adept Food and Beverage.
“If you don’t have this offer in your store, I think you’re missing an opportunity,” says Jackson. He says keeping equipment clean and well stocked is the key to success with these products.
Adept Food and Beverage recently launched smoodi in Canada, which Jackson says is an answer to the interest and demand by consumers for better-for-you options.
With smoodi, operators can provide a premium and healthy customer experience, says Adam Sandler, chief revenue officer, smoodi.
“This is a refreshing snack in the warmer months as not only do smoodis taste good but they’re also good for you,” says Sandler. “Two of our more popular products for the spring and summer are Brain Boost: Strawberry, Banana, Blackberry, and Raspberry and Green Energizer: Spinach, Banana, Mango, and Macha. In a few months, we will launch a line of meal replacement smoodis that will continue to be 100 per cent natural, no sugar added and packed with essential vitamins and nutrients. We will have peanut butter and banana as well as coffee flavours. Both new flavours will include real fruits and veggies and will even have protein included.”
The convenience store chain 7-Eleven is well known for its popular frozen carbonated beverage offering, the Slurpee, and Laurie Smith, director of marketing, communications and digital at 7-Eleven Canada indicates that there are some amazing summer flavours on the way this year, although it was too early at the point of writing this article to provide more specific details on them.
Although Canadians are known for enjoying frozen treats year-round, the summer months and warmer weather naturally encourage higher consumption of these products. Having them well-stocked and available will entice customers to make impulse purchases as the weather gets warmer.
