"In the old days, we used to burn through summer profits in the second half of the year." This is how Yudai Yamamoto, Manager of Morinaga Milk Industry's frozen desserts division, describes the former winter ice cream market after years of working in ice cream sales and marketing.

Even Morinaga Milk Industry, a major player that started selling ice cream in 1947 and launched the long-selling "Pino" brand in 1976, struggled to secure winter profits. The company's ice cream business alone remained in the red until the late 2000s. "Ice cream is something children eat in summer", this was once industry common sense.

Not anymore. Winter ice cream spending has doubled over 20 years. According to the Japan Ice Cream Association, ice cream sales on a manufacturer shipment basis reached ¥645.1 billion in fiscal 2024, up 6.1%, an all-time record for the fifth consecutive year. Split by half, the first half took ¥387.5 billion (up 7.3%) and the second half ¥257.6 billion (up 4.3%). The old structure, in which a bad summer ended the year, is coming apart.

The "Adult Ice Cream" Revolution Through Target Shift

The turning point came when companies switched their target demographic to adults. With an eye toward expanding winter sales, Morinaga Milk Industry pivoted from the then-mainstream child demographic to target adults. They researched rich, smooth ice cream that would appeal even in winter, developing "MOW" in 2003 and "PARM" in 2005.

PARM featured actor Akira Terao in its commercials, positioning it as "ice cream for adults." The product grew into a year-round seller including winter, eventually surpassing "Pino" to generate over 20 billion yen in annual sales. This success turned Morinaga's ice cream business profitable, making it one of the company's growth engines today.

Manufacturing Technology Advances Enable "Rich Ice Cream"

The development of adult-oriented rich ice cream was supported by advances in manufacturing technology. According to the Japan Ice Cream Association and other sources, companies made significant capital investments in the 2000s. Technology for creating finer ice crystals (essential for rich, smooth texture), ingredient formulation research, and filling techniques all advanced dramatically.

These innovations made possible the "smooth, rich texture" that was previously difficult to achieve, leading to a wave of high-quality ice cream products that satisfy adult palates.

"Heated Rooms" and "Kotatsu Ice Cream" Culture

Changes in eating settings also played a role. The Japan Ice Cream Association notes that "the spread of heating systems has established the habit of enjoying ice cream in warm indoor spaces even during winter."

Just as "kotatsu de mikan" (oranges at the heated table) was once a quintessential Japanese winter scene, "kotatsu de ice" (ice cream at the kotatsu) has become the new standard. Research shows ice cream tastes best when room temperature is maintained at 20-25°C, and modern living environments are supporting ice cream consumption.

Additionally, ice cream is valued as offering "worth beyond its price" even amid rising costs. Compared to cakes and other sweets, ice cream offers satisfaction at an accessible price point, gaining support as an everyday small luxury.

The "Limited Time Only" Winter Strategy

Another factor in winter ice cream's success is companies' aggressive launch of winter-limited products. The "only available now" sense of exclusivity stimulates consumer purchasing desire.

Meiji offers "Tokuno" (Extra Rich), a winter-only variant of their "Meiji Dear Milk" series made exclusively with domestic dairy products. In December 2025, they held celebrity-attended events promoting the winter scene of eating rich ice cream.

Lotte expands its flagship "Yukimi Daifuku" with variations like "Yukimi Daifuku PREMIUM -Nojuku- Mango" and "Yukimi Daifuku Heart Strawberry" as limited editions. "Heart Strawberry" features packaging partially reading "Yukimi Daisuki" (Love Yukimi) to create buzz, timed with Valentine's Day and other winter events.

Lotte notes that "the limited-time exclusivity of products you can only eat now attracts many consumers."

Yukimi Daifuku: Pioneer of Winter Ice Cream

No discussion of Japan's winter ice cream culture is complete without Lotte's "Yukimi Daifuku," launched in 1981. At the time, established dairy manufacturers dominated the ice cream industry. As a late entrant, Lotte bet on the counterintuitive concept of "ice cream that sells in winter."

TV commercials depicting cozy kotatsu scenes with ice cream against snowy backdrops proposed an entirely new lifestyle. The innovative concept of combining mochi rice cake with ice cream won massive consumer support, pioneering the winter ice cream category.

Surprising Regional Consumption Patterns

According to Ministry of Internal Affairs household surveys, ice cream consumption rankings surprisingly show cold-weather regions like Hokuriku, Hokkaido, and Tohoku at the top, while warmer western Japan and Kyushu rank lower. Yamagata City recorded the highest spending at ¥14,747 in 2024. The national average for households of two or more reached ¥13,044 in 2025, above ¥10,000 for the sixth year running.

The reason is that colder regions have better heating and keep their rooms warmer. Hokkaido housing is well insulated, and the interiors stay warm through winter. The colder it is outside, the better the conditions for eating ice cream indoors.

From "Summer Dessert" to "Year-Round Reward"

Rich products aimed at adults, retooled manufacturing, and the spread of home heating. Those three together turned a children's summer dessert into something adults eat in February. Even as prices keep rising, ice cream is still judged to be worth more than it costs.

What about in your country? Do people eat ice cream during winter? Are there "adult-targeted ice cream" products or "winter-limited flavors"? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

References