New ice cream trends churn up interest, but one classic still rules the $7.5B industry

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Stew Leonard Jr., president of the Connecticut-based Stew Leonard's grocery chain, tries out the viral new butter-dipped vanilla ice cream cones for himself. As ice cream season ramps up across the country, data shows that Americans are still reaching for familiar favorites, but some adventurous flavors are beginning to churn up interest, too. Vanilla remains the most popular ice cream flavor in the United States, according to purchasing data from Instacart, which analyzed orders from summer 2024. Chocolate, plus cookies and cream followed closely behind, rounding out the top three flavors nationwide. AMERICA'S UFO-INSPIRED ICE-CREAM TREAT TURNS 75 — AND IT'S STILL FLYING OFF SHELVES Other favorites included strawberry, mint chocolate chip, cookie dough, coffee and butter pecan, according to the report. The findings align with a 2024 survey of more t