National ice cream month wraps up in the US

25-Jul-2019 - Last updated on 25-Jul-2019 at 09:37 GMT

The average American eats 48 pints of ice cream per year, according to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association. Pic: Getty/Sally Anscombe

As July comes to a close, so too does another national ice cream month in the US. Brands celebrated with free samples and new flavor launches across the category.

A survey conducted by TrailersPlus, America’s largest trailer store, found that Good Humor Bars are the number one branded ice cream truck dessert among Americans, with 33% of the vote. The least favorite bar was Fudgsicles with 14%.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Chipwich, Klondike, the Red, White and Blue popsicle, Bomb Pop and Rocket Pop were other brand favorites, according to the survey.

The ice cream bar category came out on top (36%) as truck favorites, followed by ice cream sandwiches and tacos (29%), popsicles (16%) and push-ups (7%). But Americans voted for watermelon as their overall favorite summer food (34%), topping ice cream (28%).

Mike Snow, CEO of TrailersPlus, said, “There are so many tasty treats and picking a favorite is a source of much debate, but the nation has spoken and we can finally say that Good Humor Bars are number one.”

“Despite being voted behind watermelon as a favorite summer treat, there’s no doubt that ice cream trucks and trailers will always have a place in our hearts and ice cream treats will continue to please generations of Americans, whether it’s summer or not.”

The Instagram-famous Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) is celebrating its namesake this summer. After opening its doors in 2016, the pastel and sprinkle-coated ‘experience-first brand’ now has expanded with four locations in San Francisco, New York, LA and Miami.

This summer MOIC is running a ‘Summer Camp’ theme in San Francisco, complete with hybrid camp and ice cream activities like River of Color crossing, Dippin’ Dots bead crafts and ice cream s’mores trivia. The Summer Camp event runs through September.

MOIC is also a food and lifestyle brand, selling apparel, accessories and candy on its site. Last summer, it launched ice cream pints in seven flavors in Target stores—Pinata, Queen Bee, Nana Banana, Churro Churro, Malt Shake, Cone Zone and PB&P (peanut butter and pretzel).

Booze, probiotics and fresh flavors

Liquor-infused ice cream brand Tipsy Scoop partnered with Malibu Rum this month for a limited-edition flavor, Malibu Piña & Chill. The ice cream is vegan and contains Malibu, up to 5% ABV.

Tipsy Scoop’s core portfolio includes alcoholic flavors like Spiked Hazelnut Coffee, Cake Batter Vodka Martini and Vanilla Bean Bourbon. Malibu Piña & Chill is part of the seasonal lineup and the brand’s first non-dairy flavor.

Customers can try the limited creation at Tipsy Scoop’s Manhattan and Brooklyn locations, and the first 100 visitors on August 16 will get a free scoop.

Pittsburgh-based Bruster’s Real Ice Cream marked its 30th anniversary this national ice cream month, and launched limited edition Founder’s Creations to celebrate. Sea Salt Caramel with Almonds ice cream and a Peanut Butter Banana Sundae are part of the launch and were developed by founder Bruce Reed.

“When I started Bruster’s, I didn’t think it would take off like this. Thirty years later we’re in the best place we’ve ever been,” Reed said.

Bruster’s has grown nationally to include 200 franchise locations and expanded internationally in 2012. It sells 150 flavors of premium ice cream, yogurt, Italian ice and sorbet.

Probiotic-forward light ice cream Culture Republick is taking part in this month’s ice cream festivities with dessert-inspired activities spread throughout San Francisco. Seven pint flavors debuted with the Unilever-owned brand last fall.

In 2019, Culture Republick has launched three non-dairy flavors--Butterscotch & Peanuts, Coconut & Ginger and Cinnamon Toast Shake—in addition to its dairy flavors.

In July and August, Culture Republick is bringing a branded ice cream truck around to the city’s festivals and art events. Each of the brand’s pint flavors feature the design of an emerging artist and donates 10% of its profits to the local arts.

Leslie Miller, marketing director of ice cream at Unilever, "We are so excited to introduce our Bay Area friends to our delicious probiotic ice cream this summer. Given our unique connection to the arts, we at Culture Republick want to demonstrate how we support culture inside and out, and what better way to do that than hosting a summer-long ice cream celebration in this cultural city."