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Ice Cream Production in Canada - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Christopher Lombardo Christopher Lombardo New York, United States Last Updated: March 2024 NAICS 31152CA

Revenue

$979.9m

2024

$979.9m

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

2,738

Businesses

186

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Ice Cream Production in Canada industry analysis

Canadian ice cream producers create various frozen products, including hard and soft ice cream, frozen yogourt, frozen ices and sherbet. Revenue has fluctuated over the past two decades amid a strong decline in domestic consumption of hard ice cream. Weak production activity and lower disposable income caused ice cream revenue to drop drastically during the pandemic. However, higher consumer spending and improving economic conditions led to favourable production and consumption trends, enabling the industry to expand. Similarly, demand for premium, more expensive ice cream rose, as have healthier alternatives, promoting industry growth. However, recent gains have been unable to offset pandemic-related losses. As a result, industry revenue has been declining at a CAGR of 2.6% over the past five years and is expected to reach $980.2 million in 2023. This includes a drop of 0.2% in 2023 alone.The changes in consumer preferences toward somewhat healthier alternatives, such as soft ice cream and frozen yogourt, have created more growth opportunities. Producers have increasingly focused on expanding their product offerings and developing new flavours and formulations that adapt to these changing trends, developing lactose- and gluten-free alternatives and opening up new markets. Although this has enabled manufacturers to attract more customers, the heavy focus on new product development raises operating costs. Similarly, volatile sugar prices have resulted in fluctuating purchase costs. Both of these factors have impacted producers by constraining profit.Producers are expected to benefit from stabilizing milk prices over the coming years, enabling them to become more profitable. Consumers will continue to become increasingly health-conscious, causing producers to increase spending on the development of new products that adapt to these trends. Rising disposable income and the slower growth in food prices will enable consumers to spend more on discretionary items and premium goods, boosting ice cream sales. However, falling dairy consumption and rising demand for healthier products will likely prevent the industry from expanding. As a result, industry revenue is expected to stagnate at $979.5 million over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

  • Producers are increasingly focusing on healthier products. The growing health-consciousness trend pushes manufacturers to adapt and expand their product offerings.
  • Hard ice cream remains the most popular segment, mainly because it is easy to transfer and is a popular take-home option.
  • Remaining near population hubs benefits producers. This enables them base operations near major downstream markets, lowering transportation costs and creating strong relationships with retailers.
  • Price competition grows as consumers become more price sensitive. However, large manufacturers with high consumer loyalty are able to maintain higher prices.

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  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $979.9m in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Economic conditions have negatively affected demand for ice cream

  • The discretionary nature of ice cream products makes sales dependent on economic conditions.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Ice Cream Production in Canada
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Stabilizing economic conditions will likely prevent further losses

  • Over the coming years, consumer spending and disposable income are likely to expand, enabling consumers to buy more ice cream.

Biggest companies in the Ice Cream Production in Canada

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
David Chapman's Ice Cream
229.2
9.7
4.2
Agropur Dairy
177.8
3.2
1.8
Unilever
131.7
N/A
N/A

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Ice Cream Production in Canada
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Hard ice cream, Soft ice cream and Other ice cream products. Hard ice cream is the largest segment of the Ice Cream Production in Canada.

Trends and Insights

Hard ice cream is highly convenient

  • Hard ice cream serves traditional ice cream, which is typically manufactured with milk or cream, sugar, stabilizers and flavourings.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry comprises enterprises that primarily manufacture ice cream, frozen yogourt, frozen ices, frozen tofu, sherbet and other frozen desserts, except frozen bakery foods, which are covered in IBISWorld report 31181CA. The majority of raw inputs comes from the Dairy Farms industry in Canada (11212CA).

What's included in this industry?

Ice cream and milk specialties manufacturingFrozen custard manufacturingFrozen dessert (except bakery) manufacturingSorbets and sherbets manufacturingFrozen pops (i.e. flavoured ice, fruit, gelatin and pudding) manufacturingTofu frozen desserts manufacturingFrozen yogourt manufacturing

Companies

David Chapman's Ice CreamAgropur DairyUnilever

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

RADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)PRIVATE LABELCELIAC DISEASE

Industry Code

NAICS 2007

NAICS 311520 - Ice Cream Production in Canada

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Producers are increasingly focusing on healthier products. The growing health-consciousness trend pushes manufacturers to adapt and expand their product offerings.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Hard ice cream remains the most popular segment, mainly because it is easy to transfer and is a popular take-home option.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Remaining near population hubs benefits producers. This enables them base operations near major downstream markets, lowering transportation costs and creating strong relation...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each province in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each province in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Price competition grows as consumers become more price sensitive. However, large manufacturers with high consumer loyalty are able to maintain higher prices.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Canadians favor local companies. The two largest ice cream producers are companies that operate locally, demonstrating Canadians’ preferences toward local producers.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of David Chapman's Ice Cream's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Agropur Dairy's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Unilever's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for David Chapman's Ice Cream, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Agropur Dairy, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Unilever, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Producers benefit from stable dairy prices. The Canadian government controls the supply of milk, protecting ice cream manufacturers from significant input volatility.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Spending on wages grows as companies hire higher-skilled workers. As companies implement newer machinery into the production process, demand for skilled employees to operate ...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Assets (2017-2022)
  • Liabilities (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada in 2024?

The market size of the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada is $979.9m in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Ice Cream Production in Canada industry in 2024?

There are 186 businesses in the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.9 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada has been declining at a CAGR of 2.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada is expected to decline.

What are the biggest companies in the Ice Cream Production market in Canada?

The biggest companies operating in the Ice Cream Production market in Canada are David Chapman's Ice Cream, Agropur Dairy and Unilever

What does the Ice Cream Production in Canada include?

Ice cream and milk specialties manufacturing and Frozen custard manufacturing are part of the Ice Cream Production industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Ice Cream Production in Canada?

The company holding the most market share in Canada is David Chapman's Ice Cream.

How competitive is the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Ice Cream Production industry in Canada.

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Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Canada include:

  • Statistics Canada
  • Industry Canada
  • Canadian Business Patterns

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.