Boost Dessert Sales During the Summer

With the arrival of the summer season, customer behavior begins to shift when it comes to their out-of-home dessert cravings. Whether you’re searching for dessert menu ideas, or for the latest dessert trends, it becomes crucial to tailor your desserts to match the season. By embracing the summer spirit and adapting your desserts to fit your customers’ summer schedule, you can boost your dessert sales and drive more traffic to your business. Read along to discover 4 ways to adapt your dessert menu for the season.

• Desserts on-the-go for busy summer days. As Canadians spend more time outdoors during the summer, it is essential to offer desserts that can be enjoyed on-the-go. Consider incorporating menu items that customers can conveniently take with them to the beach, a picnic, or on a hike. Drinkable desserts such as milkshakes or malts are great portable options to enjoy during the summer, in fact, they are one of the top dessert dishes in Canada, being featured in over 40% more menus in the last year.¹  

• Keep it fresh with seasonal summer flavours. With fruits at peak freshness during the summer, don’t shy away from including them in your dessert menus. Fruits such as pears and passion fruits are some of the fastest growing ingredients being paired with desserts in Canada.¹ Including fruit pairings to your menu will not only follow dessert trends for the season, but also provide a healthier alternative for the growing percentage of Canadian consumers looking for healthy options when eating out-of-home.² So make sure to keep your menu sweet and refreshing to boost your dessert sales. If you’re looking for dessert recipe ideas, check out our recipe page for inspiration.

• Desserts for the whole family. During this time, families make up a significant demographic with children on summer vacation. It is crucial to offer treats that will appeal to the whole family. Snack-size portions supply affordable and low-risk opportunities for customers to explore new flavors and sample a variety of options.² Cupholder-friendly options and smaller or “mini” portions of consumer favourites are also great ideas to add to your summer menu.

• Attracting younger consumers with summer limited-time offers. Adapt your dessert menu by introducing summer limited-time offers to attract Millennials and Gen Zers. Limited-time offers hold significant value for consumers from these generations when making dining decisions outside their homes.² Consider adding new desserts or changing existing ones by incorporating seasonal dessert trends and limited-time promotions. This strategy can effectively attract younger crowds and boost your dessert sales throughout the summer.

By incorporating summer trends, offering delicious yet simple desserts, and highlighting seasonal summer flavours, you can differentiate your business from the competition and keep customers coming back for more.

For even more insights on the Canadian foodservice industry, check out our 2023 Canadian Foodservice Trends Report, where, in partnership with Technomic, we have identified 12 key trends shaping the Foodservice Landscape in 2023.

If you are searching for a sweet addition to your summer menu, we invite you to explore our Confectionery Spreads and Inclusions. Elevate your summer dessert recipes with our Rolo®, Coffee Crisp® or KitKat® spreads. Our chocolate spreads are perfect for topping or filling your summer treats and easy to use in variety of trending summer dessert dishes such as milkshakes, churros, crepes, cookies, and much more.

Sources: 1. Technomic’s 2023 National Food Trends, Dessert. 2. Nestlé Professional’s 2023 Canadian Foodservice Trends.

The information presented here offers a general industry perspective and may not directly apply to your specific business operations. Consult with the appropriate subject matter experts before making any business decisions.