Vanilla still wins the ice cream aisle, but it’s getting real competition this year

Vanilla is still the flavor Americans order most through grocery delivery apps, and by a wide margin. But the fastest growth in the industry right now belongs to a handful of newer, specialty brands quietly closing the gap. This National Ice Cream Day, that growth is hard to miss on shelves crowded with new names.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed that July was National Ice Cream Month and designated July 15 as National Ice Cream Day. The industry has since continued marking the occasion on the third Sunday of July, which puts this year’s National Ice Cream Day on July 19. Several brands make their case for a scoop this summer, some through measurable gains on Instacart and others through the kind of regional loyalty that does not require a national rollout.

The industry carries real economic weight

U.S. ice cream makers produced about 1.23 billion gallons of ice cream in 2025. The industry contributes an estimated $11.6 billion directly to the economy and supports nearly 27,000 jobs, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. Those national totals tell only part of the story, as several premium and specialty brands gained share among Instacart shoppers last year.

Brooklyn’s Van Leeuwen leans on collaborations

In New York, Van Leeuwen has made limited-run collaborations a regular part of its business. Its share of Instacart ice cream orders rose 37% from 2024 to 2025, according to the platform’s 2026 ice cream report, released July 8. The label says its French-style ice cream is made with more than double the usual amount of egg yolks.

Van Leeuwen’s latest collaboration, an ube coconut ice cream and matching sandwich developed with King’s Hawaiian, followed King’s Hawaiian’s nationwide relaunch of its Ube Coconut Sweet Rolls in early April. The brand also opened new scoop shops in Ashburn, Virginia, on June 2, followed by Arlington on June 11 and Alexandria on June 18.

Cincinnati keeps its heritage at the center

Heritage still sells in Cincinnati, where Graeter’s share of Instacart ice cream orders rose 31% over the same period. The family-run company, now in its fourth generation of leadership, still makes ice cream in French Pot freezers that produce just two and a half gallons per batch, a labor-intensive method it has used since 1870 and one of the last of its kind still operating at scale, according to the company. This summer’s lineup includes five new limited-time flavors, among them a collaboration with Kings Island, the amusement park near Cincinnati, and a Cherry Sparkler flavor celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary. Graeter’s says it now ships to more than 3,000 grocery stores nationwide.

California brands bet on regenerative dairy

On the West Coast, Alec’s Ice Cream posted the strongest growth in Instacart’s analysis, with its share of ice cream orders rising 50% from 2024 to 2025. The Petaluma, California, company says it is the first ice cream brand to combine A2 dairy verified by Land to Market with Regenerative Organic Certified ingredients, including its cane sugar. It closed an $11 million funding round last fall to expand nationally and help more dairy farms transition to regenerative practices.

More from this section

Study warns solar storm risks may be much worse than thought

Why Trump’s move to gut the Endangered Species Act likely won’t hold up in court

‘Star Wars’ lightsaber prop sells for record $3.7 million

Also based in Petaluma, Straus Family Creamery posted its own gains, with its share of Instacart ice cream orders rising 38% over the same period. Straus Dairy Farm became the first certified organic dairy farm west of the Mississippi in 1994, and Albert Straus launched the creamery that same year as the first fully certified organic creamery in the United States. The ice cream line itself didn’t arrive until 2003, and this spring Straus expanded it to Whole Foods Market shelves nationwide for the first time, extending its organic pitch from the West Coast to the East Coast.

Utah’s Rebel bets on the keto crowd

In Midway, Utah, Rebel Creamery has carved out a different kind of growth story, with its share of Instacart ice cream orders rising 39% from 2024 to 2025. Founded in 2018 by Austin and Courtney Archibald, the company set out to make full-fat, no-sugar-added ice cream for low-carb and keto shoppers without sacrificing the texture of traditional ice cream. Rebel says it is now sold at every Walmart location nationwide, along with selected stores operated by Target, Kroger, Publix and H-E-B.

Amy’s proves growth isn’t the only metric

Amy’s Ice Creams doesn’t appear anywhere in Instacart’s growth data, but its approach explains why regional loyalty still counts for something. Founder Amy Simmons opened the first location on Guadalupe Street in Austin, Texas, in 1984, and the business has remained concentrated in Austin, Houston and San Antonio rather than pursuing a national store network. This spring, Amy’s teamed up with Texas beer brand Shiner on a limited-edition ice cream made with Shiner’s Raspberry Lemonade Shandy beer, offered at Amy’s locations and at Shiner’s brewery in its namesake town.

Classic flavors still rule the freezer

Vanilla is not losing ground, accounting for roughly 1 in 5 ice cream purchases, still the most-ordered flavor by a wide margin. Chocolate ranked second, followed by cookie dough, cookies and cream and chocolate fudge or brownie. What is changing, by this measure, is the pace at which several premium and specialty brands are gaining a larger share of Instacart ice cream orders. 

Looking past this July

Ice cream’s identity has always leaned on nostalgia, with the same cone shape and the same July heat returning year after year. But this summer, various producers working in very different parts of the industry are finding their own way into the conversation, from limited-run collaborations and a historic French Pot process to low-carb formulas, new dairy practices and the discipline of remaining regional. Vanilla may still own the freezer aisle, but it no longer has the whole conversation to itself.

Mandy Applegate is the creator behind Splash of Taste and seven other high-profile food and travel blogs. She’s also the co-founder of Food Drink Life Inc., a unique and highly rewarding collaborative blogger project. Her articles appear frequently on major online news sites, and she always has her eyes open to spot the next big trend.

The post Vanilla still wins the ice cream aisle, but it’s getting real competition this year appeared first on Food Drink Life.