Mochi ice cream is rapidly establishing itself as one of the fastest-growing frozen novelty items in America. While this traditional Japanese rice dough dessert has been enjoyed for centuries, it has now emerged as a leading frozen treat in U.S. grocery stores. My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream has capitalized on this expanding market. Since its launch in spring 2017, the brand’s mochi ice cream—portable, 110-calorie ice cream bites encased in small balls of Japanese rice dough—is now available in over 12,000 stores across the nation, including major retailers like Walmart, Safeway, Wegmans, and Kroger.
As consumer interest in mochi ice cream continues to rise, My/Mo is focused on creating innovative products. The company has introduced three new varieties of mochi ice cream, including non-dairy, vegan options, and pints of ice cream featuring mochi bits. To maintain its competitive edge, the brand consistently rolls out new offerings. Recently, My/Mo announced its latest innovation: a triple-layer mochi ice cream set to hit grocery shelves nationwide in early 2019. This new product features the classic mochi dough exterior wrapped around ice cream, with an exciting new center layer. The triple-layer mochi ice cream will be available in four flavors: chocolate sundae, vanilla blueberry, chocolate peanut butter, and dulce de leche.
Craig Berger, CEO of My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream, discussed the company’s innovative triple-layer product, its ongoing market growth, and future plans for the brand in a recent interview with Food Dive. This Q&A has been edited for brevity.
CRAIG BERGER: My/Mo is experiencing remarkable growth, and consumer adaptation has been unprecedented; our fans are eager for more. We aim to impress our consumers with unique textures, flavors, and colors that stand out in the market, making it true innovation within the frozen novelty category. We expect to be first to market around January 2019.
BERGER: With the product’s texture, vibrant appearance, and distinctive flavors, we anticipate a great response. Consumers are looking for something truly unique, and we believe this will meet that demand. We tested potential flavors and gathered feedback, which led us to the four flavors launching in January.
BERGER: We drew inspiration from a similar concept in Japan several years ago. Our focus is on creating something unique that caters to North American taste preferences while ensuring a technological advantage over competitors. The addition of a third layer is the perfect solution.
BERGER: We have several innovative ideas in the pipeline. Since My/Mo is only a year and a half old, we have already developed dairy and non-dairy options, as well as vegan varieties and mochi bits in ice cream pints. We plan to innovate annually, offering diverse options in the mochi space.
BERGER: The frozen novelty category, where mochi fits in, is relatively stagnant, and millennials are seeking something different. Our product serves as a unique handheld snack that offers portion control—110 calories per serving—satisfying their cravings for indulgence. It checks all the boxes for our target consumers, making it an ideal snack.
BERGER: Our team is intensely focused on innovation, consistently exploring ways to enhance brand awareness, expand the mochi category, and increase market share. Our market share has grown as well; recent data from October 7, 2018, shows we’ve reached an 82% market share, up from 80%. Our mochi ice cream stands out with its unique look and taste, boasting the highest ice cream-to-dough ratio. Each ball weighs one and a half ounces, making it heavier than most competitors’ offerings. My/Mo is the preferred brand among consumers who are asking for more innovation, and we’re delivering.
BERGER: We aim to fulfill consumers’ indulgence desires. Our handheld format allows for controlled indulgence while delivering a premium ice cream experience. Limiting the calorie count per ball helps meet this goal.
BERGER: We are open to various possibilities and continually explore different alternatives, but nothing specific is on the table at the moment.
BERGER: The novelty category has been around for ages. We operate within this space and do not primarily compete in the pint category, like brands such as Halo Top. However, as a data-driven financial professional, I can confirm that we outperform brands like Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s on a same-store sales basis. This indicates we are on the right track, and consumer purchases reflect this trend.
BERGER: We are currently developing our marketing strategy and meeting with retailers to determine which flavors they will stock for the 2019 resets. Our plan includes a comprehensive 360-degree marketing approach to launch these products effectively.
BERGER: While we primarily target millennial consumers along the coasts, we are witnessing an expanding consumer base as awareness of our product grows. As more people try our offerings, we are attracting a diverse demographic, although millennials remain our primary focus.
Additionally, as we explore our growth strategy, we are mindful of keeping prices competitive, similar to the ccm tablet price, ensuring that our consumers receive value along with innovation in our products.