5 Ice Cream Trends for 2025
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In 2025, Britain’s love for ice cream is evolving beyond the classic 99 cone. While the nation still treasures familiar flavours, a new wave of innovation is reshaping the frozen dessert landscape. From reimagined comfort foods to TikTok-inspired sensations, UK consumers are demanding more creativity, customisation and conscious indulgence.
Here’s our take on five defining trends and how at Uren we help our clients to lead the charge in a competitive and fast-moving category.
1. Nostalgic Flavours, Reimagined
British classics are making a return, but with a twist. Think rhubarb crumble, sticky toffee pudding or treacle tart—reinvented as indulgent yet modern ice cream flavours.
This revival of traditional desserts taps into the emotional pull of comfort food, particularly in uncertain times. But it’s not just about nostalgia. Today’s consumers expect innovation with integrity—flavours that are familiar but reimagined through the lens of plant-based formulations, reduced sugar content, and natural ingredients.
Examples include sticky toffee pudding gelato with date swirls, or apple and cinnamon crumble ripple using oat-based dairy alternatives.
Uren supports this trend with an extensive range of fruit preparations, natural dessert-inspired flavourings, and clean-label ingredients that help brands offer authentic taste and modern nutritional value.
2. Global Flavours, British Twists
UK consumers are more adventurous than ever, seeking out flavour profiles inspired by global cuisines. Asian influences like matcha, lychee and black sesame are gaining popularity, while Mediterranean notes such as Turkish mastic and blood orange are also appearing in artisan and mainstream offerings.
The most effective new product development pairs these bold global flavours with British familiarity—like matcha blended with shortbread crumble or pistachio gelato infused with clotted cream. This cultural fusion meets growing demand for experiences through food. Consumers want more than refreshment—they want discovery, authenticity and storytelling.
With global sourcing capabilities and a strong focus on provenance, Uren delivers exotic fruit purees, authentic flavour extracts and hard-to-source inclusions that bring international flair to local brands.
3. Bite-Sized and Playful Formats
Ice cream is moving beyond tubs and cones. In 2025, format innovation is just as important as flavour.
Bite-sized indulgence is on the rise, with products like mochi balls, cone bites, and brownie sandwich minis gaining traction in retail and foodservice. These formats appeal to time-poor, portion-conscious consumers who want a premium treat without overindulging.
Meanwhile, experiential designs—such as soft-serve-filled churros, rolled ice cream, and taco-style shells—are turning ice cream into an occasion, especially in grab-and-go or social media-friendly environments.
Uren enables innovation in this space with an array of textures, swirls, coatings, and fillings—from cookie dough nuggets and salted caramel shards to vibrant fruit sauces and compound inclusions suitable for complex manufacturing needs.
4. Dietary-Friendly Indulgence
Free-from is no longer niche. Whether it’s lactose-free, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-reduced or low-calorie, dietary-conscious ice cream now represents a significant market segment. Consumers expect to see these options alongside conventional products, with no compromise on taste or mouthfeel.
Artisan brands are leading the charge with small-batch, ingredient-led recipes made with coconut cream, almond milk or oat bases. Big brands are following suit, pushing boundaries on texture and indulgence while satisfying a growing appetite for 'better-for-you' treats.
Uren offers ingredient systems tailored for plant-based and reduced-sugar applications, including sugar replacement blends, inulin for fibre enrichment, and allergen-free inclusions that align with the most stringent dietary preferences.
5. Social Media-Driven Ice Cream
Social platforms like TikTok and Instagram continue to influence what consumers buy and where they buy it. A single viral post can turn a niche ice cream flavour—like mango, unicorn swirl or colour-changing vanilla—into a national phenomenon overnight.
Retailers and parlours are now designing products for the camera as much as the palate. Think visual texture, vibrant colours, customisable toppings and interactive formats that encourage sharing, tagging and trend creation. Mango sorbet is one example of a recent flavour success driven by social media buzz, prompting queues and sell-outs across the UK.
Uren supports rapid NPD and visual innovation with vibrant natural colourants, swirl-ready fruit preparations, popping fruit pearls and flavour systems engineered for visual and sensory impact.
Why These Trends Matter
These trends speak to a broader movement in consumer behaviour: the search for food that is both emotionally resonant and visually engaging, indulgent but inclusive, fun yet functional. Brands that can navigate this complex landscape—offering flavour innovation, health-conscious formulation, and striking presentation—will capture both hearts and shelf space.
With over a century of experience in ingredient sourcing, processing and formulation, Uren is uniquely positioned to help manufacturers and brands develop trend-driven products that don’t compromise on taste or technical performance.
Here’s what Uren brings to the table:
- Global supply chains with full traceability
- Sustainable and allergen-conscious ingredient options
- Custom blends for vegan, keto and low-sugar formats
- Application support for texture, stability and scale-up
- Development of ready-to-use fruit preparations, flavour pastes, sauces and ripples
Whether you’re a boutique gelato brand or a multinational with fast-moving timelines, Uren’s solutions help you stay ahead of consumer trends—without sacrificing quality, flexibility or speed to market.
