As Indian consumers look beyond familiar favourites, stonefield, The Ice Cream Taste Company, brings taste-led innovation to IICE 2026
Chennai, Sept 10: Indian ice cream consumption is entering a more adventurous phase. Consumers are increasingly looking for new flavours, regional nostalgia, global inspirations, premium experiences and formats that offer something worth discovering.
Consumer research conducted by stonefield in partnership with various research firms reflects this changing dynamic. While the category continues to expand, consumption is becoming more occasion-led, with younger consumers showing greater openness towards experimentation and new taste experiences.
Five taste trends shaping the next scoop
1. Nostalgia is being reinvented
Familiar Indian tastes are returning in contemporary expressions — from Kulfi and mithai to regional beverages and desserts. stonefield is developing Desi ice cream concepts that give these familiar tastes a creative new twist.
2. Global flavours are entering the Indian ice cream palette
Ube, Russian Honey Cake, Tiramisu and other global inspirations are creating new opportunities for brands looking beyond conventional flavours.
3. Mango is becoming a story, not just a flavour
Consumers are showing greater interest in provenance, variety and authenticity. stonefield’s Aamrut brings Indian mango varieties such as Alphonso, Totapuri, Dussehri and Banganapalli into contemporary ice cream experiences.
4. Premiumisation is increasingly about sensory experience
Creaminess, richer mouthfeel, indulgent inclusions and layered textures are creating new premium cues. stonefield’s DairyONE range of concentrated dairy boosters is designed to enhance the mouthfeel and creaminess of ice creams and frozen desserts.
5. The format is becoming part of the experience
From Kulfi Pops and rolled Kulfi to bars, sandwiches, cups and sorbets, new formats are giving consumers new ways to experience familiar and emerging flavours.
These shifts are creating an opportunity for brands to move beyond simply adding flavours to their portfolios and instead build distinctive taste experiences around evolving consumer needs.
From flavour to taste partnership
stonefield combines consumer insights, flavour technology, application expertise and customised product development to help manufacturers move from an initial idea to a finished product.
Its portfolio spans brown, Indian ethnic, fruit, nut and chocolate flavours, along with advanced solutions for creaminess and mouthfeel in frozen desserts and ice creams, as well as emerging applications such as protein products and new-age dairy formats.
At IICE 2026, stonefield will bring this approach to life through its Ice Cream Studio, showcasing a curated selection of new taste concepts and possibilities for the evolving ice cream category.
With India’s ice cream market estimated at around ₹24,350 crore in 2025, continued growth is being driven by wider penetration, premiumisation and product innovation.
For stonefield, the question is no longer simply “Which flavour should we launch?” but “What new experience can we create for the consumer?”
stonefield — The Ice Cream Taste Company
Indian Ice Cream Expo 2026
Stall F10/11 | 10–12 September 2026 | Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai
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