Gelato is most commonly presented for sale in a dip shop as a semi-solid product characterized by intense color and flavoring. Composition of gelato varies widely and may be positioned as gourmet, super premium or other market terminologies.

Londonderry, N.H.-based Stonyfield introduced a line of Double Cream yogurts that are made with whole milk and cream.

Competing in the frozen dessert market can be tough, even more so during a time when so many consumers are paying close attention to labels and their food choices. Consumers are cutting back on desserts, choosing healthier options or reaching for ice cream when they want to indulge.

UB Real, Wilmington, N.C., makes UB Super, a high-protein powder nutritional shake that contains grass-fed whey protein. The non-GMO shake is gluten-, soy-, corn- and wheat-free, and contains no added hormones or added sugar.

In 2014, Murray’s Cheese in New York City had an idea for a clothbound Cheddar modeled on classic British versions. And this year, after two years of development, the company launched Murray’s Clothbound Cheddar   –  a bright, lemony flavored Cheddar.

Making cheese predates recorded history, but artisan cheesemaking in the U.S. is a relatively new industry. According to a 2016 American Cheese Society (ACS) report, there are more than 900 artisan, farmstead and specialty cheesemakers operating in the United States. While a few artisan cheesemakers have been in business for over 100 years, the average has been making cheese for only 15 years.

In northwest Wisconsin, about 25 miles from the Minnesota border, Schuman Cheese makes award-winning cheeses with techniques borrowed from French and Italian cheesemakers.

Consumers love their ice cream and other frozen and refrigerated treats and prefer them in their most natural forms. There is still a strong desire to eat healthy, but for many, not if it means giving up the indulgence factor. Several ice cream brands have taken on this challenge, creating lines that cut back on calories and sugar but with the mouthfeel consumers expect from ice cream.

Neal Schuman is perhaps the most ardent defender of Parmesan cheese in the United States. Incensed that some cheesemakers were adulterating grated Parm with cellulose, Schuman organized the True Cheese campaign, warning consumers and retailers that all was not right in shelf-stable grated Parmesan products.