Just like the Grinch's heart grew and grew When he returned Christmas to Cindy-Lou Who, Processors that market seasonal food Increase holiday spirit and mood.
The frozen novelty category has typically been the trendiest segment of the frozen dessert category. With more new products annually introduced than a retailer can possibly stock, holiday novelties offer a limited edition advantage.Tracy Masse, marketing promotions supervisor adds, "The Perry's product development team has had a fun time dreaming up these new flavors and the production team has enjoyed making them.The autumn cranberry, though not as popular as pumpkin or apple due to its tartness, is becoming more popular in dairy foods. For some manufacturers such as Herschleb Ice Cream Co., Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., Orange-Cranberry Sherbet and Cranberry Supreme Ice Cream are a year round business (since 1950 and 1980, respectively.) For Los Angeles-based Jerseymaid Ice Cream, Cranberry Apple Splash Nonfat Frozen Yogurt and Cranberry Sherbet are new for 1996. The company plans a November introduction and is anxiously awaiting consumer feedback.As with most trends, the dairy industry is slow to catch on. But fortunately, thanks to suppliers of both ingredients and packaging, aggressive dairy processors are expanding past eggnog and offering seasonal dairy foods that have Elsie singing Fa La La La La!In order to raise category awareness during this "off season," Integrated Brands Inc., Ronkonkoma, N.Y., manufactures and markets a four-product line of holiday frozen novelties. Two of these novelties are cookie sandwiches: Chilly Bears and Gingerbread Men. Frosty Snowmen and Jolly Santas, the other two novelties, are molded and seasonally colored.Very seasonal, and very dairy, eggnog has not been able to attract year-round consumption. However, this October, Borden/Meadow Gold Dairies Inc., Ogden, Utah, decided to increase eggnog availability by offering quarts of the product in black paperboard cartons covered with jack-o-lanterns and colorful, falling leaves.Cleveland-based Pierre's French Ice Cream Co. produces an annual limited run of Pumpkin Pie, Cinnamon, Egg Nog, Rum Raisin and Nutcracker Sweet ice cream. "They are usually available from late October through January," says Eileen Garner, marketing mgr. "Due to the popularity of Peppermint Stick, it has become a year round flavor.""Foodservice directors at adult care homes, hospitals and schools are eager to serve these ice cream products as a way to add interest and excitement to the daily menu at holiday time," says Sue Faulkner, Perry's foodservice coordinator.The idea of seasonal food marketing proliferated in 1962 when Hershey Foods substituted red or green foil for traditional silver on its famous chocolate kisses. A slew of confectioners followed Hershey's example, as did retail bakers. For example, Nabisco USA colors the cream filling in Oreo sandwich cookies orange for Halloween and red or green for Christmas."Ice cream novelty sales decrease in winter time," says Vice President Gary Haber. "Christmas-themed products add excitement during the holidays. They also add value at the time of year when the ice cream freezer looks rather boring."Foodservice directors understand boring, and are usually willing to try anything healthful to add excitement to a meal. This year, the foodservice division of Perry's Ice Cream Co., Akron, N.Y., introduced a line of holiday ice cream cups to the company's institutional customers. Brightly colored in keeping with the holidays they celebrate, cups are available for Halloween, Christmas and St. Patrick's Day."The holiday line has been so successful that we plan to continue development in this area and look forward to a possible Cupid cup in 1997," Masse says.Unlike other holiday ice cream flavors in which suppliers sell processors an entire concept (formula, package design and sometimes even promotional material), Anderson Erickson's new Mint Cherry Chocolate premium ice cream was developed in-house. "It's white mint ice cream with red and green mint cherry halves and red and green mint chocolate flakes," says Bush. "The tough part was finding cherries that did not bleed. Our suppliers helped us identify such a variety."Rotating flavorsEarly this summer, the company switched from half-gallon cardboard cartons to rounds. "The new package design gives us more room to dress it up for Christmas," says Bush. Holiday flavors are line-priced and range from $3.69-3.99. The company plans to aggressively sample Mint Cherry Chocolate in area markets.This summer, Kellogg Co. expanded its seasonal Rice Krispies cereal line with All American Rice Krispies - a blend of red, blue and natural-colored crisped rice. This patriotic cereal joined last year's Halloween version made with orange and yellow crisped rice. Red and green Ho Ho Holiday debuted in 1994.Like other ice cream manufacturers, Melody Farms Inc. has a standard list of ice cream offerings, with two rotating monthly flavors. "Retailers and consumers look forward to the new flavors each month," George says. "When the flavor runs out, if it was a success, consumers can expect to see it next year."According to a 1995 study conducted by Dairy Foods magazine, 68% of 822 consumers surveyed think of novelties as a warm-weather treat. Two-thirds of respondents tend to buy less product in the fall and winter than the spring and summer.Turkey Hill Dairy, Conestoga, Pa., has a similar rotating feature flavor program for ice cream and frozen yogurt. "Through our offering of a limited supply of holiday-flavored ice cream, Turkey Hill obtains incremental sales at a time of year that ice cream sales are typically slow," says Marketing Manager Lisa Hutchinson.This Thanksgiving season, Turkey Hill introduces Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Frozen Yogurt, joining last year's Whoopie Pie ice cream. Both are packaged in reusable half-gallon plastic tubs with a panoramic design of "what it's like to be in Lancaster County during pumpkin harvesting. The package invites consumers into our home, and leaves them with a keepsake," says Hutchinson.David Bush, g.m., Anderson Erickson Dairy Co., Des Moines, Iowa, says "We've always offered Christmas ice cream flavors like Peppermint Stick and Egg Nog, but this year we wanted something to differentiate ourselves from the competition."Nostalgic eggnogAfter these two flavors saturate the freezer, Melody Farms will roll in last year's successful Winter Wonder (red and green mint flakes in white chocolate ice cream) and Santa's Cookies & Milk (crisp chocolate chip cookies and chocolate butter fudge swirled in vanilla ice cream)."Seasonal flavors are key to the success of Melody Farms' ice cream program," says Stephen George, v.p. of product development for the Livonia, Mich.-based dairy processor.Wilbraham, Mass.-based Friendly Ice Cream Corp. also recognizes that holiday products add excitement to the dining experience. Once a year, the company does a production run of what many families deem a holiday staple: the Jubilee Roll (premium ice cream, fudge topping, chopped almonds and candy chips). This family favorite is available in all Friendly's Restaurants as well as retail outlets beginning in late September and continuing through the holidays."Halloween eggnog is our attempt to attract consumers earlier in the eggnog season," says Scott Pevey, dir. of marketing.A few autumns ago, Melody Farms introduced Caramel Apple Dapple (lightly flavored apple ice cream with spicy apple chunks and caramel fudge syrup) and Pumpkin Pie a la Mode (vanilla ice cream with swirls of pumpkin pie filling and graham cracker crunchies). This year, the company redesigned the package graphics to be more festive and eye-catching for Halloween and Thanksgiving.Chelsea, Mass.-based H.P. Hood Inc. believes it has an eggnog that meets every eggnog consumer's needs. Hood offers seven varieties of eggnog: superpremium, standard, light, nonfat, and three flavored non-fat holiday nogs. The flavored nogs - Chocolate Irish Cream, Amaretto and Cinnamon Hazelnut, introduced last year in half-gallons - will be offered in quarts this year. "Quarts encourage trial," says Hood spokesperson Peter Minasian. "The smaller size maximizes its potential during the holiday season.
Chelsea, Mass.-based H.P. Hood Inc. believes it has an eggnog that meets every eggnog consumer's needs. Hood offers seven varieties of eggnog: superpremium, standard, light, nonfat, and three flavored non-fat holiday nogs. The flavored nogs - Chocolate Irish Cream, Amaretto and Cinnamon Hazelnut, introduced last year in half-gallons - will be offered in quarts this year. "Quarts encourage trial," says Hood spokesperson Peter Minasian. "The smaller size maximizes its potential during the holiday season.
Author: Donna Gorski
