Ice cream makers eye tasty prospects

陈小将

The ice cream market in China is showing signs of recovery after two years of contraction, with global players accelerating product innovation, channel expansion and capital-market moves in anticipation of a cyclical rebound and long-term structural growth.

Food and beverage producer Nestle is signaling renewed confidence in the country's ice cream market.

At its national distributor conference last month, Xu Dai, senior vice-president of Nestle Greater China and head of its confectionery and ice cream unit, said Nestle's ice cream unit achieved double-digit sales growth in 2025, marking a clear rebound after two years of decline, according to Food Inc, a food industry portal in China.

Xu said: "The ice cream market in China is showing signs of recovery, driven by a shift toward more emotional, experience-driven consumption and a surge in new usage occasions."