“This innovation appeals to consumers who want to enjoy a unique ice cream taste and culinary experience”,a spokesperson told DairyReporter.
“We didn’t just want to make coffee ice cream, but rather take the Nescafé coffee experience and recreate it in the ice cream category. This delicious, premium ice cream is the perfect treat for consumers,”Alexander von Maillot, global head of the Confectionery and Ice Cream strategic business unit, said.
So what makes this ice cream “unique”? Two things, according to Nestlé: the use of real coffee beans and the company’s soft coating technology.
Nescafé Gold Cappuccino Full Bean Ice Cream
Nescafé Gold Cappuccino ice cream “breaks new ground” by using coffee beans in both the coating and the core of the ice cream, as opposed to the coffee flavors.
Nestlé’s product development teams replaced the cocoa solids used in typical chocolate-coated ice cream sticks with real coffee. “The main difference between the use of coffee grounds and the flavors is that the coffee grounds allow us to offer a unique ice cream taste.”detailed the spokesperson.
The company is able to strike the “perfect balance” between coffee, dairy and sweet flavors by leveraging its “soft coating technology,” they continued.
“Thanks to this ‘soft coating’ technology, our teams have taken up the challenge of finding the perfect balance between ‘coffee-ness’, milk and sweetness.”Guglielmo Bonora, head of Nestlé R&D Singapore, explained.
IP protected soft coating technology, a category that stands out
The coating or ganache that covers Nescafé Gold Cappuccino ice cream is made using Nestlé’s patented “soft coating” technology.
Unlike the hard coatings used in typical chocolate-based stick ice cream, this soft ganache uses Nescafé Gold coffee, which is also in the core of the ice cream.
“The ganache is designed to melt at a similar speed to the ice cream core, so people can better enjoy the sweetness and coffee release from the coating, alongside the ice cream,”said Bonore.
Nestlé declined to share details about a potential future application of IP-protected technology.
The ice cream is being offered on a trial basis to Malaysian consumers “over the next few months” in preparation for further global rollout. “We are currently testing the ice cream in Malaysia and there is already a lot of excitement about the launch. After that, we will explore potential next steps,”we have been told.
Nescafé Gold Cappuccino ice cream is sold in paper packaging designed to be recycled through the paper stream.