Unique light ice cream formula with zero sugar and zero fat satisfies the needs of healthy convenience consumers in Argentina

Convenience stores and kiosks are a main channel for "grab and go" food and confectionery in Argentina. For the last 20 years, convenience stores and kiosks have become popular as there has been race for openings at every filling station and shopping mall. There is also a growing interest in reduced calorie, natural and lower fat products in Argentina. As a result, consumers are pushing food manufacturers to produce healthier products for the “grab and go” channel.  By partnering with Cargill, an Argentinean food manufacturer with the highest market share in kiosk and convenience store sales, created a healthier single serve ice cream product for the “grab and go” category.  

Since 2003, Argentina has experienced a rebound in GDP. This upward trend has been largely maintained in recent years as the economy has grown, creating jobs and encouraging consumption.  Argentina is highly urbanized with the ten largest metropolitan areas accounting for half of the population so hypermarkets and convenience stores play a primary role in food 
distribution.⁽¹⁾

The manufacturer’s challenge was to create a great tasting ice cream product with zero sugar and zero fat. To make this “grab and go” light ice cream more appealing to convenience consumers, the manufacturer presented their challenge to Cargill for an ingredient solution. Their current light ice cream had too many barriers to purchase such as “low calorie” instead of “zero calorie” and it included an artificial sweetener.

Cargill approached this project knowing that texture would be paramount to producing a successful product along with achieving great taste.  “Grab and Go” is about convenience and indulgence. The ice cream taste experience is a primary purchase driver.  Since the consumer taste experience expectations are high for ice cream, Cargill recommended a Lygomme™ blend which is a stabilizer designed specifically for calorie reduction in ice cream. 

Lygomme™ blends can provide freeze/thaw stability, smooth texture and creaminess, enhanced softness and volume, shape retention and crystal ice growth control.

To provide sweetness, rebiana and erythritol were used in combination to remove calories and to provide a satisfying sweetness.   Zerose^® erythritol is a polyol with high digestive tolerance and Truvia^® rebiana is a sweetener made from the best tasting part of the stevia leaf.

The finished ice cream product included a sweetener combination and has zero fat and zero sugar as a result of the unique ingredient combination of Truvia^® rebiana, Zerose^® erythritol and the Lygomme™ blend.  The solution enhanced the current ingredient system, instead of completely starting over on a new formula.

The plan is to launch this ice cream product later this year with hopefully, more applications using this unique zero sugar and zero fat ingredient blend.  

⁽¹⁾ Business Insights, 2010, Emerging Food and Drinks Markets in Latin America