What’s New in April Retail Ice Cream & Frozen Dessert Innovations (Part 2)
- Sarah McKenzie
- May 8
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
In part two of our latest global retail ice cream and frozen dessert round-up (review part one here!), brands are leaning into indulgence, texture, and format innovation—while continuing to tap into nostalgic and better-for-you cues.
From multi-layered pistachio gelato sticks in Italy to portion-controlled mini pops in South Africa and expansive seasonal flavor drops in the United States, this month’s launches highlight how versatility and creativity are shaping the category.
Our Pick of the Month goes to Hennig-Olsen’s 2026 line-up, featuring Monaka ice cream sandwiches, which can be enjoyed both cold and hot!
Take a closer look at the dairy ice cream and frozen dessert debuts everyone’s talking about across the globe.
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Gruvi Pistachio Stick From Sammontana (Europe)
Sammontana is elevating indulgence with its Gruvi Pistachio Sincero, a multi-textured gelato stick that celebrates pistachio and Italian craftsmanship in every layer.
At its core is a smooth vanilla-flavored gelato, enriched with ribbons of pistachio paste and coated in a crunchy shell of chopped pistachios and biscuit crumble.
It’s available in 60g sticks (multipacks available) at select European and international retailers for €3.59-6.99 (USD 4.15-8.09).
Oppo Brothers’ Naked Ice Cream Sticks (Europe)
Oppo Brothers has released NAKED, a new ice cream on a stick made with fresh whole milk and cream, with no artificial colors or flavors. Two flavors are available, both with only 89 calories per stick:
Oppo Naked Chocolate Brownie: Velvety chocolate brownie-flavored ice cream, slow-churned with sustainably sourced Colombian cacao mass, and a thick chocolate fudge swirl rippled throughout.
A 3x87ml (56g) pack retails for €4,85 (USD 5.71).
Oppo Naked Hazelnut Chocolate: Silky smooth hazelnut ice cream, slowly churned with a Nutella-inspired swirl of milk chocolate and hazelnut throughout. A 3x85ml (55g) retails for €4,85 (USD 5.71).
They’re available at Flink & Albert Heijn in the Netherlands, Amazon Fresh and Ocado in the UK, and Kaufland in Germany.
Hennig-Olsen’s 2026 Line-Up (Norway)
Hennig-Olsen has announced its 2026 line-up featuring the following:
Sandwich
Monaka Ice Cream Sandwich: Creamy ice cream with a delicious, liquid caramel core, all wrapped in a light, crispy biscuit; can be enjoyed both cold and hot (via the air fryer!). 70g (135mL) for 44.90 kr (USD 4.92)
Crème Choc'o Brownie Sandwich: Creamy chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce, dipped in milk chocolate with brownie pieces. 63g (95mL) for 39.90 kr (USD 4.37)
Snackis Chocolate Caramel & Cookie Sandwich: Chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce, topped with cookies on one side and a chocolate coating with crispy cookie pieces on the other. 96g (151mL) for 39.90 kr (USD 4.37)
Cup/Tub
Soft Shake Lemon Cup: Extra soft ice cream with lemon sauce throughout.127g (210mL) for 39.90 kr (USD 4.37)
Premium Salted Caramel Tub: Rich caramel ice cream with caramel sauce, topped with caramelized almonds. 516g (810mL) for 94.90 kr (USD 10.39)
Stick
Sørlandsis Chocolate Nut Stick: Sørland ice cream with nut flavor, chocolate sauce, and chocolate coating with hazelnuts. Sold in 6-packs (357g net content) for 72.70 kr (USD 7.96)
The products are currently available at retailers, including Wolt.
Swizzels’ Squashies Split Ice Lollies (United Kingdom)
Swizzels is bringing its iconic Drumstick Squashies flavor into the frozen aisle with its Squashies Split Ice Lollies.
Inspired by the classic raspberry-and-milk combo, each lolly features a creamy milk-flavored ice cream center wrapped in a tangy raspberry-flavored water ice coating that mirrors the original confectionery experience.
A 6x73mL pack retails for £2.25 (USD $2.85). It’s available at major UK grocery retailers, including Morrisons and Tesco.
Mini Pops from Popco (South Africa)
POPCO is expanding its better-for-you frozen treats line-up with its Mini Pops—ice cream and sorbet mini-sticks designed for guilt-free indulgence.
Made in small batches using fresh, natural ingredients, these mini pops deliver bold, fruity flavors without artificial additives. Five options are available:
Granadilla Cream: Granadilla, cream, milk, vanilla
Classic: Vanilla, cream, chocolate coating
Mango Strawberry Sorbet: Mango, strawberry, lemon
Mixed Berry Sorbet: Berries and lemon
Oranges & Lemons Sorbet: Oranges and lemons
Each box of 5x65mL mini pops (individually portioned) retails for R89.99–R119.99 (USD $4.80–$6.40). They’re available via POPCO’s online store and across 750+ stockists throughout South Africa.
Limited-Edition Cookie Butter Cheesecake from Nightingale (United States)
Nightingale Ice Cream is leaning into indulgent, bakery-inspired innovation with its limited-edition Cookie Butter Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich.
This chef-crafted creation features ultra-creamy ice cream infused with cookie butter and cheesecake flavors, layered with speculoos cookie crumbs for added texture and spice. The ice cream is then sandwiched between two soft, freshly baked brown sugar cookies—delivering a rich, nostalgic dessert experience that blends classic comfort with premium craftsmanship. Made in small batches with 14% butterfat ice cream and clean-label ingredients, the product reinforces the brand’s focus on elevated, chef-driven frozen novelties.
Individual ice cream sandwiches are approximately 5.3oz (150g) and retail for USD $6.79 per sandwich. They’re also available in a 4x2.6oz pack for USD $7.99.
The release is available across the United States in major grocery chains and independent retailers, including Kroger, Whole Foods Market, and The Fresh Market, as well as via online ordering and brand-direct channels while supplies last.
Creamy Fruit Pops From Sweet Nothings (United States)
Sweet Nothings is expanding its frozen snack portfolio with the launch of Creamy Fruit Pops—a more indulgent evolution of its best-selling Smoothie Pops (with nearly 25 million sold).
This new line blends real fruit with organic coconut cream, delivering a smoother, richer texture while maintaining a clean-label, fruit-forward profile. Positioned as a more “grown-up” frozen snack, the pops balance natural sweetness with a creamy mouthfeel and are available in three flavors:
Strawberries & Cream Fruit Pops: Bright, fresh-picked strawberries meet smooth coconut cream
Oranges & Cream Fruit Pops: Juicy, sun-ripened oranges meet light coconut cream
Bananas & Cream Fruit Pops: Banana blended with a touch of coconut cream
The new range is also the first-ever Whole30-approved frozen pop, reinforcing its appeal among health-conscious consumers seeking minimally processed treats.
The 6x1.5oz (43g) multipacks retail for USD $5.99–$7.99 per pack and are available at Sprouts Farmers Market and Thrive Market, as well as online via Amazon and Instacart, with additional retail distribution expected.
Van Leeuwen’s Strawberry Matcha Latte Ice Cream (United States)
Van Leeuwen is blending café culture with premium frozen indulgence in its Strawberry Matcha Latte Ice Cream. Originally launched as a limited-edition flavor at Van Leeuwen’s Brooklyn Flavor Lab, it’s now available more broadly due to strong demand.
The new flavor combines creamy strawberry ice cream with high-grade matcha green tea ice cream and subtle latte notes. Made in small batches using milk, cream, egg yolks, and real ingredients, the product reflects the brand’s signature French-style ice cream base while tapping into the continued popularity of matcha-forward desserts and beverage-inspired flavors.
A 14oz (414mL) pint retails for USD $6.49–$7.49 at grocery retail or USD $12.00 via direct online purchase. It’s available across the United States at select grocery retailers (including Kroger banners and specialty grocers) and through Van Leeuwen’s direct-to-consumer channels.
Publix’s Seasonal Line-Up (United States)
Publix is welcoming the warmer season with an expansive line-up of 19 limited-edition ice cream flavors—some returning fan favorites and some innovations:
New Flavors (473mL)
Limited Edition Bourbon Praline Crumble: Whisky-inspired ice cream with praline pecans and cinnamon sugar ribbons
Limited Edition Root Beer Float: Root beer-flavored ice cream with fizzy clusters, cherry notes, and ribbon swirl
New Flavors (1.89L)
Limited Edition Buckeyes & Fudge Premium Ice Cream: Rich peanut butter ice cream loaded with chocolate-covered buckeye candies and thick fudge swirls
Limited Edition Chocolate Cookie Quarry: Chocolate ice cream packed with cookie crumb swirls and chunks of chocolate sandwich cookies
Limited Edition Home Run Caramel Popcorn: Caramel popcorn-flavored ice cream with buttery toffee popcorn bark
Limited Edition Hula Hula Macadamia: A whipped cream-style base with caramel ribbons and macadamia brittle
Limited Edition Lemon Berry Bliss: Refreshing lemon crème ice cream with lemonade flakes and blueberry swirls
Limited Edition Snickerdoodle: Brown butter ice cream with cinnamon graham swirls and cookie pieces
The releases are available in stores now, with pints priced at approximately USD 4.41 and half gallons at approximately USD 7.29.
Baskin-Robbins Canada and Nestlé Canada Launch Releases in Retail (Canada)
A collaboration between Baskin-Robbins and Nestlé has resulted in five of their most iconic tubs coming to stores, each made with 100% Canadian dairy, Kosher, and no artificial flavors:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Creamy vanilla ice cream loaded with chewy cookie dough chunks and chocolate chips
Gold Medal Ribbon: Chocolate and vanilla ice cream swirls ribboned with a golden caramel
Cotton Candy: Creamy version of your favorite fluffy, puffy treat
Mango Tango: Mango ice cream with a tangy mango swirl
Chocolate Mousse Royale: Creamy chocolate mousse swirled with rich chocolate flakes
A line-up of ice cream sandwiches was also launched, also prepared in Canada with 100% Canadian Dairy and no artificial flavors:
Caramel Ribbon Sandwich: Creamy vanilla ice cream and luscious caramel ribbons between rich chocolate wafer cookies
Chocolate Mousse Royale: Decadent chocolate mousse ice cream packed with chocolate chips between rich chocolate wafer cookies.
Chocolate Chip: Velvety vanilla ice cream and chocolate chips sandwiched between two rich chocolate wafer cookies
The releases are available at major grocery retailers across Canada, including Loblaw, Walmart, Metro, and Sobeys. The 946mL tub and 4 x 125mL pack of sandwiches retail for CAD 11.99 (USD 8.72).
NOTE: The world of ice cream and frozen desserts moves fast. While we do our best to keep everything current, product details, pricing, and availability can change after publication. For the latest information, we recommend checking directly with the brand or retailer.
Want to be featured in our next ice cream and frozen dessert round-up? Email Andrea Montreuil from Innodelice with more details!
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ABOUT INNODELICE
Founded by former executives in the ice cream industry, INNODELICE aims to create a worldwide ecosystem of solutions within the frozen dessert industry. Thanks to the relationships fostered by INNODELICE, manufacturers, brands, importers, distributors, and suppliers can discover, buy, and sell solutions to grow their businesses. These solutions include co-manufactured and branded products and innovative and competitive ingredients, packaging, and services. Our collaboration model generates lower costs and fewer risks for our participating partners while optimizing their time to market. To learn more about INNODELICE, contact Andrea Montreuil or visit www.innodelice.com.
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