By Muhammad Luqman
The annual consumption of ice cream in Pakistan has touched new mark of 100 million litres (35314 tonnes).
About 200 million population of Pakistan spends just 18 million dollars on purchasing sweet treat every year, that is just a tiny part of world ice cream market of US $ 60 billion.
“ This is mainly due to extremely low per capita per annum consumption of ice cream i.e. less than half a kilogram in Pakistan against 28.4 litres in New Zealand,” says Syed Saud Ahmad Pasha, Director Agribusiness, Friesland Campina, former Engro Foods, Pakistan.
Of 100 million litres market, Unilever Pakistan’s Walls Ice Cream enjoys 60 percent share, followed by Friesland Campina’s Omore with 30 percent while the rest of the volume is shared by McDonald’s, Yummy, Hiko and hundreds of other small brands across the country.
According to ice cream firms, the advent of ice cream parlours in the urban centres of the country like Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan, Faisalabad and Quetta has created intense competition for packaged brands as higher-income households prefer ice creams from designer outlets which offer variety in flavours and fillings and a tasty dessert experience with family and friends.
Moreover, increased competition from home-based and artisanal flavours sold at ice cream parlours compelled companies to launch new traditional flavours, such as pista (pistachio) and kulfa (purslane) in order to maintain share.
Moreover, rapid urbanisation and higher consumer disposable incomes have shifted consumer preferences in favour of packaged ice creams. This shift is driven by an increase in brand awareness and the affordability and accessibility of packaged ice creams, even among lower-income households.
Internationally, New Zealand, the United States, and Australia are the world’s biggest consumer of ice-cream.
The Top Ice Cream Consuming Countries Of The World
Rank Country Per capita ice-cream consumption (litres/year)
1 New Zealand 28.4
2 United States 20.8
3 Australia 18.0
4 Finland 14.2
5 Sweden 12.0
6 Canada 10.6
7 Denmark 9.8
8 Ireland 8.4
9 Italy 8.0
10 United Kingdom 7.0
