At the Cannatech conference, Israeli ice cream company Vaniglia launched a first-of-its-kind cannabis-flavored ice cream that is said to taste like the aroma of cannabis.
The cannabis-inspired ice cream flavor is made with a blend of nuts and herbs and boasts a bright green color. While unique frozen dessert does not contain any cannabis ingredients—due to the current legal restrictions in the country—the ice cream does contain hemp seed oil and aromatic terpenes, the fragrant ingredients in plants.
As the experimental ice cream concoction is a controversial one, Vaniglia owner Itay Rogozinsky describes that the reactions from customers have been mixed, with some really liking it and others finding the polarizing flavor to be "a bit weird."
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Cannabis-infused Food and Beverages
- Incorporating cannabis flavors and ingredients into food and beverages is a growing trend, presenting opportunities for innovation and new product development.
- Terpene-based Flavoring
- Using terpenes, the aromatic compounds found in plants, as a flavoring agent is a trend that can be applied to many food and beverage products beyond cannabis-inspired ones.
- Alternative Flavor Combinations
- Creating unique and unconventional flavor combinations, like cannabis-inspired ice cream, can help brands stand out and differentiate themselves in a crowded market.
Where This Applies
- Food and Beverage
- Incorporating cannabis-inspired flavors and ingredients can open up new product development opportunities for food and beverage companies.
- Cannabis
- Companies that specialize in cannabis-infused food and beverages can capitalize on the growing trend of incorporating cannabis flavors into non-infused products.
- Flavor and Fragrance
- Companies that specialize in flavor and fragrance development can explore the use of terpenes and other unique flavor ingredients to create new and innovative products.
