The global taste for desserts is insatiable. Food and beverage formulators often turn to U.S. dairy manufacturers for tasty, nutritional ingredients for their frozen, chilled and ambient dessert applications. Dairy ingredients, such as whey, permeate, cheese, and many more, provide the flavor, function and nutrition needed for guilt-free indulgence. Dairy ingredients and products from the United States help desserts product developers keep on-trend with category innovation. Learn more about U.S. dairy products in the Product Section.    

Trends in Desserts

The dessert category - frozen and chilled desserts as well as ambient temperature items like puddings and flan - is supported by ongoing growth of the ice cream category.  

When it comes to the overall desserts category, ice cream leads the way. The category continues to innovate to help consumers enjoy better-for-you indulgences that meets developing demand for global tastes. Ice cream delivers deliciousness - as an after-dinner treat, a midday (or anytime) snack, and even as a nutritional protein boost. 

Better-for-You Indulgences

Within the take-home ice cream segment, low-fat positioning taps the need for improved indulgence offerings. To meet demand for good-for-you indulgence, frozen dessert introductions in recent years include tart frozen yogurt that features probiotic bacteria to improve digestion. Other value-added formulation trends include probiotics in other frozen and chilled desserts as well as the addition of prebiotics, omega-3 and added calcium.  

Global Tastes

The American palate has evolved in recent years, as more and more households look to integrate different ethnic flavors into meals and desserts. In desserts, this translates to the introduction of items designed to appeal to Hispanic and Asian-American consumers in the United States. As U.S. ice creams are popular globally, new ethnic twists can provide crossover appeal to mainstream flavors consumers are eager to try around the globe. For instance, frozen dessert flavors with ties to Asia create unexpected taste profiles that meet the expectations of sophisticated dessert diners.   

Blend U.S. dairy ingredients to desserts with locally-popular flavors to help meet the desire for global tastes. The end result will be a dessert that contains the functional and nutritional benefits of U.S. dairy products with international flavor profiles consumers desire.  

Utilization

Dairy ingredients from the United States provide flavor, function and nutrition. The chart below illustrates the benefits of eight common dairy ingredients.