Report on China’s Ice Cream Market Supply-Demand

In recent years, China’s ice cream market saw rapid development. The output of ice cream increased for 16 times within 10 years. According to the market survey statistics of National Bureau of Statistics and China Catering Trade Association, in 2009, China’s output and sales volume of ice cream exceeded 2.8 billion kg, realizing the sales revenue of over 40 billion Yuan. The statistics also show that China’s per Capita consumption of ice cream is only 1.7 kg. Especially, the ice cream market capacity in winter is only 1/30 of that in summer. Compared with the proportion of 1/3 and even 1/2 in America, there is still a tremendous space for the development of ice cream industry. It is estimated by many experts that in 2012 China’s ice cream retail sales volume will exceed 5 billion kg. China will enter into a blowout period of ice cream consumption.  
 
Currently, the major ice cream type in China market is the hard ice cream (also called ice cream in America), which is mainly targeted to ordinary consumers and supermarkets. The soft ice cream （also called Gelato in Italy） which is mainly supplied to food stores for them to mix accounted for a very small proportion. Such a market layout is very different from that of developed countries. In European countries, ice cream franchise stores on self-made soft ice cream are very widespread. Compared with hard ice cream, the soft ice cream can do better in meeting the individualized demand of consumers. China’s ice cream market has a huge development potential. In view of the current development trend, the living habit of Chinese people is changing and the consumption of ice cream means not only heat control, but also entertainment. Targeting the high-end consumers, the ice cream will not only meet their requirement concerning taste and flavor, but also the requirement concerning nutrition and health care. The huge demand in China’s ice cream market provides more opportunities for domestic and foreign capitals to invest in China’s ice cream market.