F&B Market Report 2025 shows that the market is shifting from recovery-driven growth to a more stable and slower phase. For ice cream brands, this signals the need to reassess product value, customer experience and operational capabilities before expanding their outlets.
F&B Market Report 2025 is presented as a study of the industry’s position, opportunities and challenges during the recovery period.
The 2025 F&B landscape: slower growth and a defensive mindset
Slower growth does not necessarily signal that demand for dining and drinking has disappeared. It indicates that businesses may need to be more cautious when deciding whether to open outlets, invest in premises or expand their product ranges. For ice cream and dessert brands, the important question is not only “where should we open next?”, but also “what value is the current outlet creating for customers?”.
Slower growth does not mean opportunities have disappeared
As the pace of expansion across the industry slows, brands with clear positioning can still find their own opportunities. An ice cream shop can compete through products that meet customer needs, memorable experiences and consistent operations, rather than trying to be present in as many locations as possible.
People who are new to running a shop often ask whether simply choosing a product that is attracting attention is enough to bring in customers over the long term. From an operational perspective, a new product may create curiosity, but the likelihood of customers returning also depends on their overall perception of quality, price and the in-store experience.
Why do ice cream brands need to reassess their expansion strategy?
One notable point in the F&B Market Report 2025 is that diners’ sentiment is described as shifting towards a more defensive and pessimistic state when looking ahead to 2026. As budgets are considered more carefully, an ice cream product must not simply be “good” in a general sense; it needs to make customers clearly understand what they are receiving in return for their spending.
For gelato brands, this creates a need to balance brand image, product quality and reasonableness in the purchasing experience. An overly broad menu, complex procedures or a model that relies on continuous promotions can increase operational pressure if not properly controlled.
Three questions to ask before investing in more outlets
- Are customers choosing the product for its flavour, experience, convenience or a specific occasion?
- Does the current outlet have sufficiently consistent procedures to be replicated?
- Is the brand creating genuine value, or relying only on advertising and promotions to attract visits?
These questions help shop owners shift their focus from the speed of expansion to the quality of their foundations. This is also a necessary preparation step before considering Gelato shop setup consultancy or a long-term partnership model.
Three practical priorities for ice cream brands
1. Clarify the genuine value in each product
The report suggests that competition will become more intense, with businesses needing to retain customers through genuine value and a quality experience rather than simply expanding in scale. For an ice cream brand, “genuine value” may be expressed through perceived quality, appropriate portions, a clear choice of flavours and consistent service.
This does not mean that every brand must pursue the premium segment. More importantly, the product promise must match the price and be expressed consistently across the menu, sales counter and experience after the customer has made a purchase.
2. Design an experience that gives customers a reason to return
Experience is not just about shop decoration. For an ice cream brand, it may include how easily customers can choose a flavour, how the product is presented, the convenience of takeaway purchases or a product range suited to different occasions.
In F&B communities, many shop owners often discuss how to retain customers after their first purchase. These discussions commonly highlight the role of service quality, the local community and suitable marketing activities; this is a community perspective, not data verified in the report.
3. Control operations before scaling up
When both costs and purchasing power need to be considered, operations become part of the brand experience. Preparation, storage, service, stocktaking and staff training procedures need to be clear enough to limit discrepancies between shifts or outlets.
Shop owners can start by reviewing slow-selling products, steps that delay service and expenses that do not create clear value. For product options, they can also refer to the Gelato Baby Boss product range to consider how to build a range suited to their specific business model.
Insights for ice cream shop owners and gelato brands
The main message of the F&B Market Report 2025 is not that brands should stop expanding. Rather, expansion should come after the business has demonstrated that its current model has the right customers, a consistent experience and sufficiently controlled procedures.
| Common former priority | A more cautious approach |
|---|---|
| Open more outlets to increase reach | Check the performance and replicability of the current outlet |
| Follow products that are attracting attention | Choose products suited to the brand positioning and customer needs |
| Use promotions to drive purchases | Clarify the product’s value and build a reason to return |
| Expand the range as widely as possible | Prioritise a range that is easy to operate, train for and keep consistent |
This is also why shop owners should view brand building as a long-term challenge, rather than simply a question of revenue from one campaign to the next. Content about running an F&B business can support the process of reviewing the business model, while information about Gelato knowledge gives teams a stronger foundation when developing products.
Conclusion: selective growth instead of chasing volume
F&B Market Report 2025 suggests a change in how growth is viewed: scale remains important, but it cannot replace genuine value, a quality experience and operational capability. For ice cream brands, this phase may be an opportunity to strengthen core products, standardise the experience and gain a clearer understanding of why customers return.
Brands with strong foundations will have more options when the market improves. Before deciding to expand, check whether the current model is sufficiently clear, consistent and suited to the budget of its target customers.
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