ELMHURST, Ill. – More consumers are indicating they want healthier, more natural ice cream, writes the Daily Reporter. A recent report from Technavio found that the U.S. market advanced to $12 billion last year, with a 2.1% market growth. Technavio forecasts that the U.S. ice cream market will continue to accelerate to top $13.3 billion by the end of the decade, posting an annual rise of 2.09% until 2020.

“Rising health-consciousness among U.S. consumers is creating demand for low-fat and fat-free products generating huge scope for manufacturers by launching [better-for-you] products … [while also communicating] strongly that they don’t lose any taste,” said Vijay Sirathi, a Technavio food and beverage research analyst.

The United States continues to be the largest ice cream market in terms of volume, and it also boasts the biggest per capita consumption. “The demand for affordable luxury is the major growth factor,” the report found.

New ice cream products that have tried to incorporate a healthier side include Haagen-Dazs’s vegetable flavored ice creams for the Japanese market; Halo Top’s ice creams made with organic stevia; A2’s ice creams without A1 protein; and Graeter’s low glycemic ice cream.

For more on how convenience stores can make the ice cream category more robust, read “Not Just for Summer” in the February issue of NACS Magazine.