Rice ice cream emerged as a sensational hit in 2025, sparking industry discussions on its potential to become a mainstream craze in 2026. Here is a summary of its rise and future outlook. Such innovative products are central to discussions at major industry gatherings like the International Bakery Exhibition.

Why Did Rice Ice Cream Become Popular?

• Market Performance: In 2025, brands like Wild Man Mr. launched rice ice cream, garnering nearly a billion views on platforms like Douyin. Their success with concepts like “made-to-order + Wuchang rice” led many established brands like DQ and Adopt a Cow to follow suit.

• Driving Forces: Its popularity is fueled by two major trends: the health and wellness movement (offering a lighter, sometimes lactose-friendly option) and the New Chinese Style consumption trend (using iconic ingredients like Wuchang rice to evoke cultural identity and nostalgia).

Two Larger Industry Trends Behind the Hype

The rice ice cream trend is actually unlocking two broader sectors:

• The Rice Drink Boom: Rice-based beverages, such as rice milk lattes and fresh rice curd drinks, are rapidly gaining ground in coffee and tea shops. Brands are attracting customers through freshly made promises and creating immersive rice culture experiences.

• The Rise of Chinese Style Ice Cream: A wave of ice cream brands is emerging, featuring native Chinese ingredients (like green plum, osmanthus, or fermented bean drink) and cultural elements. They are innovating in flavors, techniques, and presentation, making them a hallmark of New Chinese Style consumption.

Opportunities and Challenges for 2026

Rice, as a staple grain, has a stable supply chain. The product format (cup, stick, etc.) is highly adaptable, facilitating sales across all retail channels.

Brands must avoid product homogenization, ensure the authenticity and quality of premium ingredients like Wuchang rice, and move beyond novelty to encourage repeat purchases.

Rice ice cream has significant potential in 2026, but competition will intensify. Its long-term success hinges on moving beyond marketing concepts to achieve substantial product innovation, rigorous quality control, and deeper integration into daily consumption scenes. This trend signals that Chinese-style innovation based on local ingredients is becoming a major direction for the food industry.

Bakery China 2026 will continue to share more industry professional content with you, so please stay tuned!

Bakery China 2026, organized by China Association of Bakery and Confectionery Industry (CABCI) and Bakery China Exhibitions Co., Ltd. was launched since 1997. Bakery China 2026 is the Asia Pacific’s leading event serving the entire value chain for the bakery and confectionery market. The event presents all range of ingredient, equipment, packaging and services, and enables global leading professionals and buyer delegates to meet and share the latest innovations and thinking on manufacturing & distribution, R&D, applications and related services for bakery industry. It is the first-choice trade fair to enter China’s bakery market.

The 2026 ASEAN International Bakery Exhibition (Bakery ASEAN), will be held on August 27-29 at JIExpo (Jakarta, Indonesia), co-located with renowned WEPACK Indonesia, Cafe Show Indonesia held by Reed Exhibitions Group, is a premier trade event focusing on the bakery and related industries in ASEAN and global markets. the shows will be covering 20,000 square meters, expecting more than 500 exhibitors and 50,000 professional buyers including distributors, imports and exports, manufacturers, chain stores, supermarkets, convenient stores, hotels and cafes, etc. from not only the ASEAN but also the rest of the world.

(Source: O2O Catering)