Still showing strength

The overall frozen novelties category continues its advancement. Although the category isn’t growing at the level of such hot dairy segments as yogurt, cottage cheese and kefir, it’s holding its own. There is weakness in two subcategories, however, as we will explain.

Let’s start with the entire category. Overall, frozen novelty dollar sales rose 3% year over year (YoY) for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2025, to $9.2 billion, while unit sales were flat at 1.9 billion, according to Chicago-based market research firm Circana.

The category is made up of three subcategories: frozen novelties, frozen ice cream/ice milk desserts, and ice pop novelties. The frozen novelties subcategory was clearly the best performer of the three, enjoying a 3.7% YoY gain to $8.6 billion. Unit sales in this subcategory gained 1% YoY to 1.8 billion.

Under the frozen novelties subcategory, the No. 1 seller for the period ending Dec. 28, 2025, was Dreyers Grand Ice Cream. The Oakland, Calif.-based company’s dollar sales came in at $2.6 billion, a 1% YoY gain, while unit sales were flat at 483 million, per Circana data. But this subcategory had two huge standouts: No. 6 seller Yasso and No. 10 seller JonnyPops. Boulder, Colo.-based Yasso saw an 18% YoY dollar sales increase to $420 million, paired well with a 16% YoY unit sales jump to 73 million.

Elk River, Minn.-based JonnyPops had a banner year, with dollar sales skyrocketing by 88% YoY to $162 million, as well as a similar 86% YoY unit sales rise to 24 million.

The overall frozen ice cream/ice milk desserts suffered a small decline, as dollar sales and unit sales both dropped by 1% YoY, to $340 million and 15.6 million, respectively, states Circana. Rich Products Corp. is the No. 1 seller in this subcategory, accounting for more than half of its sales. The Buffalo, N.Y.-based company’s sales dipped by 1% YoY to $257 million, while unit sales lost 2% YoY to 11.3 million. However, No. 2 seller Wilbraham, Mass.-based Friendly’s Ice Cream bucked the subcategory’s downtrend by enjoying both dollar sales growth and unit sales growth of 12% YoY to $40 million and 2 million, respectively.

Bucking the overall subcategory’s downward trend in an even bigger way on a percentage basis was No. 9 seller Shain’s Inc. Although on a much smaller basis in terms of sales, the Sanford, Maine-based company saw dollar sales jump 44% YoY to $92,058, paired with a similar 45% unit sales rise to 3,717.

The last subcategory, ice pop novelties, hit the skids for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2026, according to Circana. Its dollar sales plummeted by 13% YoY to $223 million, while unit sales suffered a steeper 16% YoY drop to 79 million. Topping this subcategory in terms of dollar sales was The Jel Sert Co. The West Chicago, Ill.-based company’s dollar sales declined by 7% YoY to $89 million, as well as a 19% YoY unit sales drop to 23 million.

Despite a significant YoY dive for the overall subcategory, two companies had tremendous years in ice pop novelties sales: No. 7 seller GoodPop and the aforementioned JonnyPops, the No. 9 seller in the subcategory. Austin, Texas-based GoodPop enjoyed YoY triple-digit sales growth, as dollar sales rose by 107% YoY to $4.6 million, paired with a 68% unit sales rise to 361,246. JohnnyPops’ dollar sales accelerated by 43% YoY to $3.3 million, bested by a 47% unit sales YoY increase to 366,477. DF