Experts from the Center for Industry Expertise (CES) of the Russian Agricultural Bank expect that the volume of ice cream consumption in Russia by the end of 2021 will increase to 448 thousand tons, or 3.1 kg per capita. This is a record figure for the last 10 years. The corresponding document is at the disposal of Izvestia.
For comparison: last year, despite restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Russians ate 444 thousand tons of ice cream (+ 9% compared to 2019), or 3 kg per capita.
As noted by the head of the Center for Energy Efficiency, Andrey Dalnov, the trend towards healthy eating has strengthened during the pandemic, and therefore buyers began to give preference to products with low calorie content, low sugar content, with an increased proportion of protein, as well as vegan ice cream.
“Although for the Russian consumer, who perceives ice cream as a delicacy, this direction still remains a niche, taking into account international experience, we expect an increase in demand for“ healthy ice cream ”in the next couple of years,” he added.
At the same time, 451 thousand tons of ice cream were produced in Russia in 2020 (+ 8%, year-on-year). By the end of the current year, RSHB experts expect this indicator to grow by 3% – up to 463 thousand tons.
It is noted that the export of Russian ice cream continues to gain momentum, having increased more than eight times over the past 10 years – from 3 thousand tons in 2010 to 26 thousand tons in 2020.
At the end of 2021, Rosselkhozbank analysts expect this indicator to grow by another 15% – to a record 30 thousand tons.
In August 2020, manufacturers warned that Russians may face a reduction in the range of ice cream or an increase in prices for it if they introduce labeling for ice cream weighing less than 100 g in 2021.