While the brand has “grown steadily” after its launch in 2010, it wasn’t until 2023 that it racked up global attention after a TikTok video featuring its ice creams went viral.
“A video showing ‘Going to Big Tesco (a supermarket in the UK) in search of Little Moons’ prompted thousands of creators to do the same, generating content that was viewed over 500m times. We quickly sold out everywhere, and since then, our success has been driven by 18 to 22-year-olds, with a skew towards women.
“Our brand seems to yield traction and advocacy among this audience, and this continues to be the case in the Middle East. That said, our end goal is to be a mainstream, scaled part of the ice cream category, which means we need to reach the premium shopper,” Conor Love, Head of International at Little Moons, told FoodNavigator-Asia.
Little Moons currently has presence in 35 countries, with key markets being the UK, France, Germany, and Australia.
It expanded into the Middle East last year and is now sold across the region, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Lebanon.
“Our mochi ice creams are made from sweet, soft and chewy rice flour dough wrapped around a ball of gelato ice cream or sorbet, which is different from traditional ice creams on the shelves. With the UAE being a melting pot of cultures, it made sense to introduce our fusion product to this market.
“We started our journey in Dubai and the reception has been fantastic. After just a year, Little Moons is the fastest-growing ice cream brand in the UAE and is available at major retailers, including Carrefour, Lulu, Spinneys, and Choithrams. Our retail sales value for the last two years will easily exceed USD318.6m, so we certainly see the demand growing.”
Love believes that growth opportunities in the Middle East are substantial, as the region is consuming over 1.5bn litres of ice cream annually and the market is projected to grow to USD4.84bn by 2031.
Internationally, mochi ice cream is also said to be rising in popularity in recent years, as consumers increasingly seek bite-sized indulgence.
Based on the brand’s observations, its ice creams are being consumed at “any time of the day and all times of the year”, and not just as a typical afternoon pick-me-up or post-dinner treat.
“We’re not here just to be a part of the market; we’re here to shape it. In fact, we have revolutionised snacking within the ice cream category — I have seen people making mochi pyramids as a birthday cake, and even had plenty of people telling me that they sometimes have Little Moons for breakfast!”
Striking a balance
According to Love, Little Moons sources ingredients from around the world, and makes its ice creams using slow churning to ensure less air, creamier texture, and a more intense flavour.
Among its various mochi ice cream flavours, Tropical Passionfruit and Mango is the global bestseller, and has proven to be most popular in the UAE as well.
Launched in June, the Refreshos sorbet range claims to be the first-ever sorbet mochi ice cream introduced in the UAE. Its refreshing flavours and juicy texture aim to suit the needs of the summer season.
The brand also has a series of vegan and gluten-free mochi, and is continuously working on new product development.
“Overall, snacking is driving the majority of growth within all FMCG categories. While consumers are becoming more conscious of their eating habits and looking for healthier alternatives, they are increasingly realising what ‘balance’ means for them personally.
“In the past, many companies sought to produce the lowest-calorie product to allow people to consume as much as possible. In reality, this often meant that overall product quality tended to be poor. At Little Moons, we’ve tried to let people have all of the fun, all of the taste, and none of the regret,” said Love.
The calorie content in the mochi balls range from 60 to 85 kcal.
“As someone who always manages to make a mess, the fact that you can now eat ice cream with your hands — with no mess — is a magical thing.
“Our vision is to become a leader in the global frozen desserts category. The next stage of our NPD journey is going to be pretty memorable, so keep a lookout for more exciting innovations to come.”
