Looking for a good ice cream shop? These criteria reveal quality

Not every ice cream shop delivers what it promises

Summer is finally back - which means: Ice cream season. But not every ice cream shop serves what it promises. Many advertise terms like “in-house production” or “made from scratch”. This sounds like natural ingredients, but is not legally protected. The consumer advice center explains: Behind these terms can be anything - from ready-made powders to the further processing of an industrially produced ice cream base, up to freshly crafted, artisanal ice cream production. These terms are therefore not very meaningful.

What external features reveal about production

Berlin ice cream artisan founder Niko Robert names natural instead of bright colors as an important quality marker - neon ice cream is suspicious. Another indicator is the presentation of the ice cream in the display case. Florida Ice CEO Olaf Höhn warns: Ice piled up too high often indicates the use of binders or added air.

Vanilla ice cream as a reliable quality benchmark

Certain ice cream varieties quickly show whether it’s genuine. Höhn’s advice: Vanilla is considered a particularly reliable quality benchmark. This flavor focuses on pure vanilla taste and is therefore especially demanding to produce. High-quality vanilla ice cream is based on ground vanilla beans, real vanilla extract, and natural vanilla aroma. If only “ice cream with vanilla flavor” is offered, this indicates, according to the consumer advice center, the use of artificial vanillin.

Minimum requirements for different ice cream types

Although ingredient labeling is not mandatory, the guidelines for ice cream in the German Food Code define minimum requirements for certain terms:

► Cream ice cream: At least 50% milk + 270 g whole eggs or 90 g egg yolk per liter of milk
► Cream-based ice cream: At least 18% milk fat
► Fruit ice cream: At least 20% fruit content

If the menu just says “ice cream,” plant-based fats like coconut fat are also allowed - often cheaper but of lower quality.

To enjoy high-quality ice cream and value natural ingredients and fresh production, it is advisable to inquire on-site about the origin and composition of the ice cream.