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Listen to or watch the original content Louis Metzger is an artisan ice cream maker, as well as the founder and head of Crème, an artisan ice cream producer. The…
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Louis Metzger is an artisan ice cream maker, as well as the founder and head of Crème, an artisan ice cream producer.
The ice cream market has been growing continuously since 2009, and is characterised by the premiumisation of its products and the extreme seasonality of demand. This market is strongly affected by the restaurant and pastry sectors, as it is directly connected to them.
The market is dominated by industry giants such as the Magnum and Carte d’Or brands, but still leaves room for more traditional ice cream makers operating at local and regional levels.
In France, the critical shortage of ice cream makers outside the peak season prevents ice cream from becoming established as an everyday product. It is a fast-growing market that is nevertheless confined to tourist areas. Educating consumers in new ways, combined with high-quality products offering crunch, texture, small inclusions and unusual flavours, helps build customer loyalty. At Crème, pastry-making is also part of production, supporting revenue and complementing the ice cream maker’s expertise.
According to Louis, innovation and development are slowed by the substantial cost of machinery and premises, with the necessary hygiene standards, but also by the complexity of transporting the product, another obstacle to the development of click and collect and dark kitchens in this sector.