The competition within the ice cream category is becoming\nincreasingly dynamic as product choices expand and consumer tastes\nevolve. Beyond flavour, consumers are now considering texture,\nappearance, the overall product experience, and trends emerging through\ndigital channels.<\/p>\n
These conditions mean that a brand\u2019s market position is not always\npermanent. Amidst growing variety, brands must continuously interpret\nconsumer needs, maintain quality, and introduce relevant innovations.\nThis shift in preference is evident in the movement of the 2026 Top\nBrand Index (TBI) within the ice cream category.<\/p>\n
Aice, for instance, recorded an increase in its TBI from 10.60% in\n2025 to 27.27% in 2026. This 16.67 percentage point increase is\nequivalent to an annual growth of approximately 157%. In the same year,\nAice once again secured the Top Brand Award and Top Brand for Kids 2026,\ncontinuing an eight-year winning streak since 2019.<\/p>\n
This change in index occurred as competition in the ice cream\ncategory moved dynamically, with index shifts seen across several major\nbrands. This situation demonstrates that consumer preferences can change\nsignificantly within a single year.<\/p>\n
Senior Brand Manager of Aice, Sylvana Zhong, stated that these\nconditions serve as a reminder that consumer trust cannot be taken for\ngranted. \u201cEight years is a long journey, but for us, what is more\nimportant is how that trust is continuously renewed. Consumers now have\nmore references and choices. Therefore, this award serves as an\nincentive for us to continue listening to consumers and ensuring Aice\nremains relevant to their needs,\u201d said Sylvana.<\/p>\n
The Top Brand Index uses three main parameters: Top of Mind\nAwareness, Last Usage, and Future Intention. The survey was conducted\nindependently by Frontier in 15 major cities in Indonesia using\nmultistage area random sampling and purposive sampling methods.<\/p>\n
A brand earns the Top Brand predicate if it achieves a TBI of at\nleast 10% and ranks among the top three in its category. Using this\nmethodology, the change in Aice\u2019s TBI reflects the strength of the brand\nin the minds of consumers, its usage, and the tendency to\nrepurchase.<\/p>\n
The 2026 Top Brand Award carries the theme \u2018Respectful Brand\u2019, which\npositions the relationship and trust of consumers as a vital part of\nbrand sustainability. According to Frontier, such relationships are\nbuilt through consistent experience, integrity, quality, innovation, and\nconsumer engagement.<\/p>\n
CEO of Frontier and Founder of the Top Brand Award, Handi Iradawan D,\nstated that a brand\u2019s challenges do not end once it is recognised and\nchosen by consumers. \u201cThe Top Brand Award is not merely an award for\npast achievements, but an indicator of a brand\u2019s future sustainability.\nBrands that can survive are not just those that are known, but those\nthat are trusted and hold a special place in the hearts of their\nconsumers. This trust and closeness cannot be built through advertising,\npromotion, or social media alone, but grows from quality, consistency,\ninnovation, and strong engagement with consumers,\u201d said Handi.<\/p>\n
Culinary trends are driving innovation. Consumers now have more\nsources of reference, while food and beverage trends can develop rapidly\nvia social media. Formats that rely on novelty, visual presentation,\ntexture, and new experiences also influence consumer preferences.\nConsequently, innovation does not only mean introducing new variants,\nbut also creating experiences that align with evolving tastes.<\/p>\n
\u201cConsumer tastes change rapidly. Products that were popular a few\nyears ago are not necessarily what is sought today. That is why we\ncontinuously use consumer feedback in Aice\u2019s product development and\ninnovation,\u201d said Sylvana. Currently, Aice possesses over 100 ice cream\nproduct variants available in hundreds of thousands of outlets across\nall Indonesian provinces.<\/p>\n
One of its latest innovations is the Aice Crispy Balls Shine Muscat,\nwhich combines the flavour of Shine Muscat with crispy balls, popping\ncandy, jasmine aroma, and nata de coco. This combination offers four\nsensations: crispy, creamy, chewy, and fresh. The product was developed\nby following the popularity of the Shine Muscat flavour among the\nyounger generation and Korean-style culinary trends.<\/p>\n
Aice also secured the Top Brand for Kids 2026, continuing its\nachievement for eight consecutive years since 2019. Top Brand for Kids\ndata recorded Aice\u2019s index in the children\u2019s ice cream category at\n16.50% in 2026, placing it within the top three.<\/p>\n
This achievement demonstrates Aice\u2019s consistency in the children\u2019s\nice cream category, while also serving as a reminder that children\u2019s\npreferences continue to evolve, even as parents have their own\nconsiderations when choosing family products. \u201cWe want to continue\nmaintaining family trust through product quality and safety, while at\nthe same time providing a fun and relevant ice cream experience for a\nconstantly changing generation,\u201d said Sylvana.<\/p>\n
While eight consecutive years of receiving the Top Brand Award and\nTop Brand for Kids is an achievement for Aice, the 2026 TBI changes also\nshow that a brand\u2019s position remains in motion following consumer\npreferences. The next challenge is maintaining trust through consistent\nproduct experiences, relevant innovation, quality and safety, and\nincreasingly wide product access.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe achieved these eight years together with our consumers.\nTherefore, we do not view this solely as an achievement for Aice.\nConsumer trust must be earned anew every day, through the products they\nchoose, the experiences they have, and our ability to continue\nunderstanding changing brand needs.\u201d<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/changing-consumer-tastes-drive-continuous-innovation-for-ice-cream-brands-1788191544", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }