Many Brits will have grown up vying for an ice cream at the sound of the neighbourhood van’s signature jingle – but it’s not the Fab or the Calippo that has won the race of nostalgia
Nearly half of British adults say that a 99 ice cream is their strongest reminder of childhood, according to new research.
More than classic weekend TV, the Argos catalogue, or collectable magazines, 49% of people said the iconic soft serve brings back their fondest memories of summer holidays and visits from the local ice-cream van.
In fact, they rated the 99 higher than any other nostalgic trigger. The research by Ninja also revealed a surge of interest in recreating those moments at home, with 45% of consumers eager to make soft serve themselves and 73% saying they would like to own a machine to do just that.
When it comes to flavours, vanilla remains top, with 36% choosing it as their favourite, followed by 19% each for chocolate and mint choc chip.
As for the cone, 41% prefer a waffle while 27% still go for the traditional wafer. But nearly nine in 10 agree: it’s not a true 99 without a chocolate flake.
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And Brits remain nostalgic about the price too – with 64% of people reporting a 50% increase in price in their area, with the average 99 costing more than £1.50.
Ninja has launched the Ninja Swirl by CREAMi, a 13-in-1 soft serve and ice cream maker, which enables those with a sweet tooth to recreate their favourite frozen treats at home.
With 13 one-touch programmes, including ice cream, light ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, and more, it offers a fun, customisable way to indulge nostalgia – minus the mad dash for the van as it drives down the street.
It also offers a healthier option, so keep-fit fanatics can create a protein ice cream. James Kitto, Northern Europe managing director at SharkNinja, said: “We understand that food is a gateway to memories and a way to connect with our past.
“With Ninja Swirl by CREAMi, we’re not just offering a regular kitchen appliance, we’re offering a ticket back to simpler times and bringing consumers the joy of that perfect 99p soft serve, that everyone loves, directly into people’s homes.”
