Thailand Ice Cream Market Research Report: Forecast (2026-2032)

Thailand Ice Cream Market Size: Forecast (2026-2032)

The Thailand Ice Cream Market size is valued at around USD 416 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 453 million by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 1.22% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32.

The Thailand Ice Cream Market is expanding rapidly, supported by improving household purchasing power and a continuous pipeline of product innovation. Rising disposable incomes remain a central growth catalyst, particularly because national wage adjustments have strengthened consumer spending power.

 According to the Ministry of Labour, the 2024 minimum wage increase to USD 10.5–11.5 per day enhanced the financial capacity of millions of workers, encouraging greater discretionary spending on premium desserts, including indulgent ice-cream varieties. This increased disposable income for millions of workers, boosting the affordability of premium ice-cream formats.

Parallel to income growth, rapid product innovation is reshaping the competitive landscape. Brands are increasingly delivering unique flavours, textural experiences, and culturally resonant formats. For example, in 2024, Swensen’s introduced a limited-edition Rice-Dumpling Ice Cream collection for a festive celebration, offering flavours such as “Pulut Hitam” made with black glutinous rice and “Pandan Coco.” These variants were crafted to reflect classic Thai-inspired dessert profiles.

Future-oriented expansion plans further reinforce the sector’s upward trajectory. For instance, CP Group, via CP Axtra (Makro and Lotus's operators with 2,600+ outlets nationwide), launched soft-serve ice cream with CP-Meiji in late 2024. Over 50 small-format shops opened by early 2025, offering cones at just 8 baht using premium dairy milk for mass appeal. Future growth taps this vast network, new flavors like coconut milk, and a nationwide rollout for sustained dominance.

Collectively, rising incomes, flavour innovation, international brand expansion, and retail-driven soft-serve penetration position Thailand’s ice-cream market for strong future growth and elevated consumer engagement.

Thailand Ice Cream Market Recent Developments:

• September 2025: Nestlé introduced its KitKat Matcha Ice Cream in Thailand, featuring a creamy wafer-based core coated with premium Shizuoka matcha. The launch aligns with Thailand’s growing demand for Japanese-inspired flavours, strengthening Nestlé’s appeal among consumers seeking modern, indulgent, and culturally influenced ice-cream varieties.
• January 2025: Häagen-Dazs in Thailand introduced its limited-edition “Festive Collection,” featuring new flavours such as Mint Chocolate and Red Velvet Cheesecake. The range was designed for the holiday season, offering consumers premium, dessert-inspired ice cream with a refreshing and celebratory flavour experience.

Thailand Ice Cream Market Scope:

Thailand Ice Cream Market Drivers:

Rising Disposable Income

Rising disposable income has become the single most influential driver boosting Thailand’s ice-cream market, enabling consumers to shift from basic frozen desserts to higher-value, branded, and innovative offerings.

According to the World Bank, Thailand’s GDP per capita reached approximately USD 7,345 in 2024, reflecting stronger purchasing power that supports greater spending on discretionary products, including premium and novelty ice-cream varieties. Similarly, OECD data indicates that private consumption grew by 4.2% in 2024, highlighting expanding consumer capacity to spend beyond essential needs.

With more disposable funds available, consumers are demonstrating a heightened willingness to purchase premium flavors, seasonal launches, and multi-pack formats, particularly during promotional campaigns. Retailers in Thailand have reported increased demand for out-of-home and impulse ice-cream purchases as incomes rise.

Furthermore, the Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Report (Q3 2024) notes that although overall private consumption moderated, stronger spending continued in discretionary categories. This resilience in non-essential spending enables ice-cream manufacturers to optimize product portfolios, introduce targeted SKUs, and implement varied pricing strategies to capture value across income groups.

Overall, rising disposable income will continue to strengthen consumer spending power, supporting greater preference for premium, innovative, and indulgent ice-cream products, ultimately driving sustained demand growth and encouraging further product innovation across Thailand’s ice-cream market in the coming years.

Thailand Ice Cream Market Trends:

Growing Demand for Novel Flavors

Consumer curiosity and evolving taste preferences are reshaping Thailand’s ice-cream market, with strong demand for novel and unconventional flavors. Recent flavor-trend insights show rising interest in distinctive combinations such as coconut–pandan, smoky or savory notes, and umami-forward profiles. These flavors appeal particularly to younger consumers seeking originality and culturally relevant taste experiences.

Retail chains and quick-service restaurants have introduced diverse flavor options, including matcha, soy-based soft-serve, tropical fruit blends, and limited-edition seasonal variants. These offerings signal a growing movement toward “experiential indulgence,” where consumers value uniqueness and premium storytelling over traditional taste profiles.

Reinforcing this trend, major manufacturers have expanded their portfolios with innovative launches. For example, in April 2025, Nestlé (Thai) Ltd. introduced a new food-service cup range featuring MILO, KITKAT, OREO, Nestea Thai Tea, La Frutta Yogurt Strawberry, Coconut Milk, and Choc Chip flavours.

Similarly, F&N Dairies (Thailand) Ltd. released its Magnolia & Hershey’s limited-edition 2025 series, offering chocolate-coated sticks and take-home tubs. These launches highlight how flavor innovation has become a key strategy to meet Thailand’s growing demand for novelty and premium, story-driven ice-cream experiences.

This accelerating shift toward flavor experimentation positions Thailand’s ice-cream industry for strong future growth, as consumers increasingly prioritize unique taste experiences, seasonal launches, and premium storytelling, driving sustained demand for innovative, differentiated ice-cream offerings across retail and food-service channels.

Thailand Ice Cream Market Challenges:

Intense Competition & Price Pressure

Thailand’s ice-cream sector is increasingly challenged by rising competitive pressure and tightening margins, as inflation subtly elevates operating costs. According to Asia News Network (2024), food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose by about 1.28%, contributing meaningfully to national inflation and increasing cost burdens for manufacturers. Such an economic environment leaves producers with limited room to adjust retail pricing without risking demand softness.

Large multinational brands often leverage scale efficiencies, extensive distribution, and aggressive promotions, making it difficult for smaller players to compete on both price and visibility. As these pressures intensify, manufacturers are compelled to absorb higher raw-material, logistics, and energy costs, reducing the capital available for innovation or premium product development.

Escalating price pressure and competitive intensity will continue constraining margins and innovation capacity, posing a significant barrier to sustainable growth in Thailand’s ice-cream market.

Thailand Ice Cream Market (2026-32) Segmentation Analysis:

The Thailand Ice Cream Market Report and Forecast 2026-2032 offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Based on Type

• Impulse Ice Cream
• Single Portion Dairy Ice Cream
• Take-Home Dairy Ice Cream
• Artisanal Ice Cream

The impulse ice cream segment holds the largest market share in the Thailand Ice Cream Market, supported by the country’s warm climate, strong convenience-store ecosystem, and high frequency of spontaneous, on-the-go purchases. Single-serve sticks, cones, and cups are widely available across thousands of 7-Eleven, Lotus’s Go Fresh, and FamilyMart outlets, ensuring constant visibility and easy access for consumers seeking quick refreshment.

This segment also benefits from continuous innovation. Major brands regularly introduce limited-edition flavors, novelty formats, and promotional tie-ins that appeal to younger consumers and tourists, further stimulating impulse-driven sales. Its affordability and low entry price point make it less susceptible to household budget constraints compared with larger take-home formats.

Given its alignment with Thailand’s retail structure, consumer behavior, and climatic conditions, the impulse category consistently outperforms other segments, solidifying its position as the dominant contributor to market demand.

Based on Distribution Channel

• Supermarkets & Hypermarkets
• Grocery Retailers
• Ice Cream Carts
• Brand Owned Outlets
• Online
• Convenience Stores
• Others

The Convenience Stores segment leads the Thailand Ice Cream Industry, representing the dominant distribution channel for ice cream, supported by extensive nationwide coverage and strong alignment with consumers’ on-the-go purchasing habits.

Major chains such as 7-Eleven, Lotus’s Go Fresh, and FamilyMart operate thousands of outlets across both urban and semi-urban areas, ensuring consistent visibility and easy access to single-serve ice-cream products. Their round-the-clock operating hours, high daily footfall, and proximity to residential zones, schools, and transportation hubs make them the most frequented point of sale for quick refreshment purchases.

Convenience stores also play a strategic role in product promotion. Regular introduction of limited editions, freezer-endcap displays, and price-driven campaigns creates strong impulse-buying incentives. Additionally, their robust cold-chain capabilities allow for efficient product rotation and rapid rollout of new flavors or formats.

Given their accessibility, promotional strength, and pivotal role in everyday consumer routines, convenience stores continue to outperform all other channels in Thailand’s ice-cream distribution landscape.

Leading Players of the Thailand Ice Cream Market:

• Unilever Thai Holdings Ltd.

Unilever Thai Holdings Ltd, headquartered at SCB Park Plaza Tower 1 in Bangkok, operates as the Thai arm of the global Unilever group. The company was formally registered under its current structure in 2013 and manages a wide range of fast-moving consumer goods in the country. Its expertise spans personal care, home care, and food, with ice cream being a key portfolio through the Wall’s brand.

• Nestlé S.A.

Nestlé S.A., headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, traces its origins to the mid-1860s and has grown into the world’s largest food and beverage corporation. Its expertise covers dairy products, beverages, nutrition, confectionery, pet care, and ice cream. Its capability in research, quality assurance, and large-scale food manufacturing enables the company to deliver trusted brands while continuously innovating in categories such as dairy, culinary products, and frozen desserts.

• Chomthana Co Ltd.

Chomthana Co., Ltd., founded in 1979 and headquartered in Pathum Thani, is a leading Thai manufacturer specializing in ice cream and frozen foods. Known for its “Cremo” ice-cream brand and its “Star” and “Bunz” frozen snack lines, the company operates a large, modern production facility supported by an advanced cold-chain logistics network.

F&N Dairies (Thailand) Ltd., Thai Glico Co Ltd., and others are the key players of the Thailand Ice Cream Market.

Thailand Ice Cream Market (2026-32): Regional Projection

The Thailand Ice Cream Market is dominated by the central region, particularly Bangkok and its surrounding provinces, driven by the highest population density, elevated disposable income, and strong consumer inclination toward packaged and premium food products. These demographic and economic factors collectively create a consistently high demand for ready-to-consume ice-cream varieties.

Modern retail penetration is also significantly stronger in the Central region. Bangkok hosts the country’s largest concentration of convenience stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets, supported by extensive cold-chain logistics.

Additionally, urban consumers in this region exhibit stronger preferences for modern trade and impulse-purchase formats, according to multiple retail behavior studies from 2023. This combination of retail density, efficient distribution, and urban lifestyles positions the Central region as the dominant segment in Thailand’s ice-cream market.

Gain a Competitive Edge with Our Thailand Ice Cream Market Report 

• Thailand Ice Cream Market Report by MarkNtel Advisors provides a detailed & thorough analysis of market size & share, growth rate, competitive landscape, and key players. This comprehensive analysis helps businesses gain a holistic understanding of the market dynamics & make informed decisions. 
• This report also highlights current market trends & future projections, allowing businesses to identify emerging opportunities & potential challenges. By understanding market forecasts, companies can align their strategies & stay ahead of the competition. 
• Thailand Ice Cream Market Report aids in assessing & mitigating risks associated with entering or operating in the market. By understanding market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and potential challenges, businesses can develop strategies to minimize risks & optimize their operations.

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