Exploring the Differences Between Regular Dairy Soft Serve and Soft Serve Powder
19th Feb, 2024
Dispelling Misconceptions About 'Fresh Soft Serve
Soft-serve ice cream is a beloved treat enjoyed by people of all ages worldwide. Whether you're at an ice cream parlour, a fast-food joint, or even making it at home, you might have come across two distinct variations: regular dairy soft serve and soft serve powder. Each has its own unique qualities, ingredients, and preparation methods.
In this article, we will delve into the differences between these two forms of soft serve and address common misconceptions, particularly around the idea of 'fresh soft serve.'
Regular Dairy Soft Serve
Regular dairy soft serve has a host of misconceptions from consumers. Below, we detail the misconception versus the reality.
Characteristics and Differences:
- Dairy Base:
The belief is that regular dairy soft serve relies on a combination of fresh dairy ingredients, primarily milk and cream, providing a rich and creamy texture with a high-fat content that contributes to its smooth mouth-feel.
In contrast, milk is seldom used in regular soft serve and cream is never used, due to cream being hugely expensive to use in a manufacturing process. In fact, whey powder and buttermilk powder is mostly used in the manufacturing process of regular soft serve.
- Freshness:
Many consumers believe that regular dairy soft serve is typically made on-site or in ice cream parlours, ensuring the highest quality and taste. It is served immediately, offering a fresh and delightful experience.
In contrast, the product is manufactured in an ice cream factory, deep frozen and delivered to its reseller. In order for an ice cream vendor to sell the product and ensure its quality, the ice cream is taken out 2 days before use, to thaw. Regular soft serve also only has a 12 month shelf life.
- Flavours:
The belief is that regular dairy soft serve comes in a wide array of flavours. In contrast, regular dairy soft serve is mostly manufactured in vanilla, strawberry and chocolate.
Additional flavours are often achieved by the vendor adding fruit purees, flavour extracts, or other ingredients directly to the base mixture.
Soft Serve Powder
There are no advantages of regular soft serve over soft serve powder, however one of the key advantages of soft serve powder is that it is more cost-effective. In addition, soft serve powder can be supplied and delivered seamlessly to any location in the world.
Characteristics and Differences:
- Powdered Mix:
Soft serve powder is a convenient, dry mix that typically contains milk solids - like whey powder and buttermilk powder, sugar, stabilisers, emulsifiers, and flavourings. It needs to be reconstituted with water or milk to create a soft-serve ice cream-like product.
- Extended Shelf Life:
Soft serve powder offers the advantage of an extended shelf life, making it suitable for businesses. Unlike regular dairy soft serve, which has a 12 month shelf life, the powder can be stored for extended periods and mixed with liquids as and when needed.
- Consistency:
Soft serve powder provides a consistent taste and texture, making it an attractive option for businesses seeking predictable quality in their soft serve offerings.
- Many more flavours:
The same additives that vendors apply to regular soft serve to change flavours, can also be used in soft serve powder, however, most of the time that isn't necessary as most required flavours are already available from soft serve powder manufacturers.
- Cost-Effective:
Soft serve powder is more cost-effective for vendors, eliminating the need for constant refrigeration and reducing waste due to spoilage. However, it is also important to understand that the manufacturing process, cost of delivery (because only refrigerated trucks can be used), and the shelf life of regular soft serve, makes the product more expensive than soft serve powder.
A true comparison between regular soft serve and soft serve powder:
It's essential to clarify several misconceptions regarding 'fresh soft serve' when choosing which product will best suit your needs as a vendor:
- Ingredient Sources:
Contrary to popular belief, fresh milk and cream are used sparingly in the production of soft serve. Instead, whey powder and buttermilk powder are common sources of milk solids, in both regular soft serve and soft serve powder formulations.
- Shelf Life:
Soft serve products in liquid form are deep-frozen. The misconception that liquid soft serve has a significant advantage in freshness is debunked by the fact that regular soft serve has a one year shelf life after manufacture. Whereas powder variants stored in their powder form last much longer.
- Distribution:
Liquid soft serve products require careful handling during distribution and can only be delivered in refrigeration trucks and stored promptly after delivery. Soft serve powders allow for easier distribution, to more locations without compromising quality.
- Flavour Variety:
While traditional soft serve is mostly limited to vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, vendors often enhance the flavours with additives. Soft serve powder, too, can be used with various flavour enhancers, but it mostly isn't required because the powder can be manufactured in a variety of flavours.
- Advantages of Powder:
Soft serve powder holds its ground against liquid variants. It is not only cost-effective but also offers the flexibility of easy distribution from Cape Town to Cairo to Beijing. In some regions, the powder is preferred, and even suppliers who produce liquid may also freeze it to meet market demands.
- Freshness of Powder:
Soft serve powder, prepared fresh each time, offers a distinct advantage over liquid. Liquid soft serve, when left outside and exposed, can become acidic and must be discarded, resulting in significant losses. Soft serve powder eliminates this risk, providing a fresh product consistently.
In conclusion, soft serve powder provides convenience and cost-effectiveness for businesses, maintaining a consistent quality that appeals to specific settings.
At DesignBlends, we offer a wide range of both premium and econo soft serve powder mixes in various sizes and various flavours. We also offer Soft Serve Zero - which is a vegan, low calorie and low fat soft serve ice cream option.