Call for new suppliers to help booming ice cream sector meet consumer demand

With a heat-wave predicted for this summer, the UK's £1b ice-cream industry is creating demand for a range of services from ingredients to parlour fixtures.

To facilitate demand, the industry's trade body, The Ice Cream Alliance has launched an initiative to maintain a strong supply chain by encouraging potential suppliers to promote their services at the UK Ice Cream Expo next February.

Zelica Carr, chief executive of The Ice Cream Alliance, explained: "The ice-cream sector is expected to keep growing for at least the next five years according to the latest research, generating a strong demand for a range of goods and services.

"We want to encourage those companies who may not have previously supplied the ice-cream sector to promote their products to our members and customers at this unique event and we will provide a first-time exhibitors discount.

"Ice-cream makers are constantly looking for new flavours and ways to innovate as well as needing a range of services from coffee and associated equipment suppliers, refrigeration, uniforms, cleaning materials and fixtures and fittings for their parlours and shops."

The three-day Ice Cream Expo will be held from the 17-19 February 2015 at the Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate.