Wow! Ice cream might never be a guilt-free pleasure, but researchers are hoping to make the dairy indulgence better for the planet, if not our waistlines.
Unilever is developing a freeze-at-home low-carbon ice cream which it reckons will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The FMCG giant, the world’s largest producer of ice cream with brands that include Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum, hopes that a “low-carbon” product sold at room temperature and frozen at home will minimize environmental impact.
Ice cream is one of the company’s more energy-intensive products because of the need to keep it frozen during transport and storage.
Research is being undertaken in Unilever’s own laboratories with Cambridge University. Gavin Neath, Unilever’s senior vice-president for sustainability, told The Times: “We have to look at a really radical solution."
What's Driving This Trend
- Freeze-at-home Ice Cream
- Opportunity for developing low-carbon ice cream that can be frozen at home, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Low-carbon Products
- Disruptive innovation opportunity to create products that have minimal environmental impact, such as low-carbon ice cream.
- Energy-efficient Food Storage
- Innovation potential to develop energy-efficient storage solutions for food products like ice cream, reducing energy consumption.
Who This Affects Most
- Food and Beverage
- Industry can explore the development of eco-friendly food products, such as low-carbon ice cream, to meet consumer demand for sustainability.
- Frozen Food
- Opportunity for the frozen food industry to adopt freeze-at-home solutions, reducing energy consumption in transportation and storage.
- Sustainability
- Industry can focus on sustainable practices and develop innovative solutions, like low-carbon ice cream, to minimize environmental impact.
