Sponsored by Kent Precision Foods
From refreshing beverages to cool desserts, consumers are craving frozen treats. The challenge for operators is to develop innovative menu items that stand out among the competition. Operators have to decide which current flavor trends work well in frozen treats, develop menu items that are simple for the kitchen crew to prepare, and avoid increasing food and labor costs.
One solution is to utilize a workhorse ingredient, like the Frostline Crafted Collective™ dry mixes, that can elevate menu items by adding flavor and color. Finding the right add-ins can make the difference between a simple beverage or dessert and a selection of menu items that can generate excitement and drive traffic.
According to the Global Ice Cream Industry Trends report from Mintel, 94% of U.S. adults purchased ice cream, frozen yogurt, or frozen novelties in 2023. The report notes that consumers are becoming interested in new flavor profiles, including floral, herbal, savory, and bakery-inspired flavors, in frozen treats.
Flavor of the week or month
Operators can leverage limited time offers, not just to introduce new frozen treats but to generate excitement about the brand. “Some operators have made a real niche for themselves by offering milkshakes that change weekly or monthly,” says Chef Mario Arena, Senior Culinary Development Manager at Kent® Precision Foods Group. “You can’t wait to see what they’re coming up with next. They’ve gotten the public used to quick-changing menus.” 
LTOs also enable brands to experiment with new categories such as boba teas and bars to update traditional cocktails with flavorful twists and new ingredients.
Kent® Precision Foods Group, which makes the Frostline Crafted Collective™ portfolio of flavor add-ins, has sourced syndicated data on the hottest flavor trends. Among them: sweet/spicy combinations, nostalgic flavors, plant-based flavors, alcohol flavored beverages, and sweet/savory combinations.
Combine newstalgia and novelty
The Frostline Crafted Collective™ add-ins are dry powdered mixes that operators can use to create ice cream, soft serve, frozen yogurt, frozen alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, and more. The kitchen crew simply adds the dry flavor packet to make a batch or single-serve item using a Frostline® vanilla base mix. The five artisan varieties are Lavender Lemon Butter Cookie Flavored, Sweet Orange-Vanilla Swirl Flavored, Hot Honey, Maple Bourbon Flavored, and Pistachio Cream Latte Flavored.
The key to success in introducing new menu items is to offer something familiar yet innovative. While lavender is an emerging flavor, consumers are familiar with lemon butter cookies. Pistachio is not typically a latte flavor, but people generally know pistachio. Hot honey is gaining popularity as more consumers enjoy the spicy and sweet contrast.
Visual cues such as color play a role in generating excitement in new frozen treats. The Pistachio Cream Latte flavor is a natural-looking green, which is more appetizing than an artificially bright green. The Sweet Orange-Vanilla Swirl flavor brings to mind the fun frozen treats that consumers might remember from childhood. “We are definitely trying to be Instagrammable,” 
says Michael Coladipietro, Research & Development Manger for Kent® Precision Foods Group. “We eat with our eyes first.”
Save labor and costs
The dry mixes are shelf-stable up to 18 months, and take up very little storage space. The powder has good dispersibility, so it is evenly distributed in shakes, bowls, cocktails, and frozen beverages, for maximum color and flavor.
To help operators save food and labor costs, Frostline Crafted Collective™ add-ins are not only easy to use but can also be incorporated into menu items across categories and dayparts. In addition to frozen desserts, the Lavender Lemon Butter Cookie Flavor can be used to make an updated twist on a martini, with the lavender flavor and a crushed butter cookie or lavender sugar on the glass rim. The Maple Bourbon Flavor can be used to make a glaze for a donut—be sure to add crumbled bacon on top—as can the Hot Honey, with crushed honey-flavored cereal on top.
“The sky’s the limit,” Arena says. “It’s more than frozen treats. It’s a flavor system that really starts to branch out with all different types of menu offerings.”
For more information, visit Frostline Home (frostlinefrozentreats.com).
