New Zealand’s fruit-rich ice cream gets a sugary American makeover

In New Zealand, one of summer’s greatest delights is known as real fruit ice cream: a scoop of vanilla mixed with fruit in a machine that produces an airy, barely sweet twist with a buttery texture. The dessert, which likely originated in the country’s berry orchards, has become a national favorite in recent decades, prized for its freshness and simplicity.

In the United States, it’s just starting to catch on in cities like Boston, Portland, Ore.And Austin, Texas. But along the way, the no-frills treat has had a complete makeover.

At most US stores that sell it, real fruit ice cream can be mixed with graham crackers and Oreos; drizzled with hot fudge, caramel or chamoy; and enjoyed atop a cone dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. Some stores build sundaes or milkshakes around it. And some suggest that even with all the add-ons, the dessert has nutritional benefits. (“It’s almost healthy” is the unofficial slogan at Nico’s Real Fruit Ice Cream in Portland, Ore.)

“The American ice cream experience is just very American,” says Hap Cameron, a New Zealand native who runs Happy Cones Co.a real fruit ice cream parlor in Edgewater, Colo. “It’s bigger, more choice, 20 to 40 flavors of ice cream.”

Dennis Little produces the Little Jem, a blender for making real fruit ice cream, in Nelson, New Zealand. He said he and his brother and business partner, Chris Little, have received hundreds of inquiries in recent months from Americans wanting to open real fruit ice cream parlors. Some ask to put cookies in the Little Jem.

“If you were making biscuits or lollipops of any kind in New Zealand, I don’t think you’d be selling very many, to tell you the truth,” said Dennis Little.

Ice cream may be a classic American treat, but New Zealand leads the world in consuming it — an average of 20.1 liters or 5.3 gallons per person, according to 2023 data from Euromonitor International, a market research firm. (The United States ranks fourth, with 13.1 liters, about 3.5 gallons.)

What sets American ice cream culture apart is that “it’s almost hedonistic,” says August Radbill, an owner of distant ice, a real fruit ice cream parlor in Brookline, Massachusetts. “I’m going to indulge like this, and I’m going to get a big one with hot fudge, gummy bears, and put everything on it because I’m not worried about calories.”

When Mr. Radbill and his business partner, Drew Beja, opened the shop in 2021, the menu featured just two flavors and four fruit options – similar to what Mr. Beja had first seen on a 2015 trip to New Zealand’s South Island. But customers kept asking for toppings. “In the end we gave in,” Mr Beja said.

Zeds Real Fruit Ice Cream, in Austin, offers a variety of flavors and toppings, and sundaes like berry Butterfinger: real fruit strawberry ice cream topped with chocolate sauce and Butterfinger candies. Mack Brown, an owner, said sales were going so well he was looking for a location for a second Austin store.

It’s often the garnishes that get people to try the ice cream, Mr. Brown said. “Americans like the idea of ​​toppings and drizzle more than the ice cream itself.”

The United States has seen its share of frozen fads: rolled ice, nitrogen ice, Dippin’ dots. The recent rise of real fruit ice cream may be partly due to tourism; US visitors to New Zealand increased by 84 percent between March 2015 and March 2020, according to Stats NZ, the country’s official data agency.

On a Wednesday afternoon at Zeds, eager customers pressed their noses to the window to see their creations come to life. A pink drill whipped fruit and ice cream together, and the soft-serve-esque concoction gushed out in a colorful swirl.

“I lean towards things that feel more naturally sweet,” says Kelly Ferraro, a career coach who enjoyed a cone with her 6-year-old son, Liam Bloch. “So I like it when the fruit is the sweetener.”

Liam, whose chin was dripping with strawberry ice cream and chocolate sauce, was more succinct: “I love chocolate.”

Ozan Uy, who works in the software and ordered pineapple ice cream with chamoy, said the novelty of real fruit ice cream was intriguing. But he found the texture too drippy.

“Would it make it into my top 10 ice cream experiences?” he said. “I wouldn’t say yes.”

Lillie Phillips, an owner of Welly’s Real Fruit Ice Cream in Port Angeles, Washington, similar skepticism has been met. Many Americans are traditionalists when it comes to ice cream, she said. She wants mint chips and chocolate – so she also offers classic scoops in those flavors.

US customers have complained to Mr Cameron, who runs Happy Cones, that his strawberry ice cream with real fruit doesn’t taste the way they are used to – “strawberry ice cream full of colors and artificial flavors,” he said.

Mr. Cameron grew up in Nelson, New Zealand, spending summers working in a berry orchard serving real fruit ice cream. His goal with Happy Cones, which opened in 2015, was to celebrate dessert in its purest form, without dozens of embellishments. “I really wanted to stay true to our Kiwi roots,” he said.

These days, even he offers toppings: caramel sauce, crushed honeycomb, and rainbow sprinkles.

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