Ice cream is one of the most electable traditional desserts in the world, and its consumption on a global level reaches shocking statistics every year. Ice cream is consumed lustily in most nations, although a few selected nations are ever hungry for this treat. Preference for culture determines flavour profiles and consumption patterns. The climate also greatly influences the varieties that will be popular.
The growing number of ice cream delivery services has facilitated the consumption of ice cream even more, aiding in an overall increase in its consumption all over the world. This primer discusses the seven leading ice-cream-drinking nations and thereby shares interesting tidbits about customs and practices surrounding ice cream in the respective nations that keep the consumption demand always high.
Australia
Australia’s warm climate and alfresco lifestyle sustain an amazing prospect of ice cream consumption, around 18 litres per person per annum. The ice cream tradition has been formally developed around some Australian innovations such as the Golden Gaytime and the many iterations of paddle pop. Consumers are now interested in high-end gelato and sorbet products in increasing numbers, alongside traditional dairy ice cream.
Beach culture may give cities near coastal waters higher rates of ice cream consumption. Another relatively recent trend is increasing offerings for vegan options and less sugar, epitomizing the trend toward healthy lifestyle choices, albeit not dampening the general fervour for all magical things frozen.
Finland
Despite its wintry climate, Finland eats incredible amounts of ice cream-with about 14 litres per head per year. Finns have ice cream for the entire year-round even during the most wintery period; most typically eating it in a cinema or after sauna sessions. Specifically, Finnish ice cream is about light and creamy-, about the preference for liquorice as a national treasure.
Apart from summer demand at the countryside cottages and festivals, all those established traditions in dairy and the consistently high-quality milk produced contribute to excellent local ice cream quality. Domestic favourites compete with international brands selling ice cream in a market that defies expectations about cold climate consumption patterns.
Sweden
And Sweden doesn’t fall short of joining the other neighbours in frosty iciness when it comes to ice cream consumption has about 12 litres per person eaten every year. Swedish ice cream culture comprises something completely different, like “glassier” (ice cream vans) that are still of particular cultural relevance to that country. It pioneered a lot of frozen desserts one of which is dairy-free oat-based ones.
There are old flavours like lakrits (salty liquorice) and lingonberry, typically alluding to local palette. Ice cream becomes nearly omnipresent in gross consumption in the summer months, particularly at midsummer celebrations. There is also an increasing demand for organic and eco-friendly ice cream by Swedish consumers, the best demonstration of how concerns over sustainability can go hand in hand with indulgent treat consumption.
Canada
Canada’s ice cream consumption is notoriously high (around 10 litres per capita), and it seems to be particularly cold. Quite a trade that supports many functional ice cream companies for different regions of Canada and international brands as well. Canadians like ice cream in the summer-short but hot. Winter consumption goes without saying, however. Unusual Canadian ice cream flavours are maple walnut and butter tart, as they are filled with the homegrown produce of the country.
Likewise, there have been some new formats like the ice cream sandwich, yet it remains one of the country’s leaders among the world’s ice cream producers despite some of its colder frost climates which suggest lower needs for frozen desserts at certain times of the year.
Conclusion
One wonders what it is about ice cream that makes it enjoyed by so many apart from climate and culture. The countries at the pinnacle of ice cream enthusiasm generally have good traditions of making and innovating with dairy products. To all those variations across countries this example, American super-premium vs. Finnish salty liquorice ice cream is a dessert that seems to become ever popular around the world. As the world turns, new types of ice cream appear, while small-scale makers are on the rise. Under such circumstances, the seven countries will continue to be at the top in sugar consumption because it seems to be universal in its deprived forms.
