During the past several years, the phrase “a win is a win” has been uttered by many athletes, often in reference to winning a game or a match without a dominant performance. The phrase can be aptly applied to the overall frozen novelty category. 

The novelties category pulled off a “win” for the 52-week period ending Dec. 29, according to Chicago-based market research firm Circana, but it was certainly not a dominant victory. However, when it comes to sales, up is definitely good. Novelties picked up a 1% dollar sales gain during the aforementioned period to just shy of $8.8 billion, while unit sales eked out a 0.3% percent gain year over year (YoY) to 1.86 billion. 

Housed under the novelties category lie three subcategories: frozen novelties, frozen ice cream/ice milk desserts and ice pop novelties. Let’s start by accentuating the positive: Frozen novelties posted a 1.3% YoY dollar sales gain to $8.2 billion, outpacing a 0.5% YoY unit sales gain to 1.73 billion. The No. 1 seller in this subcategory for the year ending Dec. 29 was Nestlé, the only member of the $1 billion club. The Switzerland-based company’s dollar sales picked up 3% YoY to $1.3 billion, along with the same gain in unit sales to 224 million, according to Circana. 

Among the top 10 frozen novelty sellers, two companies posted both YoY dollar and unit sales gains. They are No. 5 seller Yasso and No. 7 seller Popsicle. Boulder, Colo.-based Yasso’s dollar sales advanced by 20% YoY to $360 million, bested by a 24% rise in unit sales to 64 million. Popsicle, a division of Unilever, enjoyed a 24% YoY dollar sales gain to $280 million, while achieving the same YoY percentage gain in unit sales to 58 million.

Although ranking in the No. 20 spot, we highlight JonnyPops for its impressive YoY gains. According to Circana, the Elk River, Minn.-based company’s dollar sales rose an impressive 98% YoY to $86 million and notched a 91% increase in unit sales to nearly 13 million.

The frozen ice cream/ice milk dessert subcategory had a rougher time during the period ending Dec. 29. Dollar sales in this subcategory dipped by 2% YoY to $346 million, while unit sales suffered a 3% YoY loss to 15.8 million. Rich Products Corp.’s Carvel was the No.1 seller in this subcategory. Its sales were nearly flat year over year, when dollar sales dipped by 0.2% YoY to $240 million, as well as a 1% drop in unit sales to 10.6 million. 

Standouts in the frozen ice cream/ice milk dessert were private label, whose dollar sales picked up 18% YoY to $40.6 million. Private-label unit sales were even stronger, gaining 28% YoY to slightly more than 2 million, placing it as the No. 2 seller in the subcategory.

Although on a smaller scale, Bindi North America’s dollar sales rose 57% YoY to $119,897, pairing well with a 62% YoY unit sales gain to 32,762, good enough to be the No. 10 seller in the subcategory for the Kearny, N.J.-based company, Circana data reveals. 

The ice pop novelties suffered the toughest year among the novelties subcategories. It saw overall dollar sales drop by 4% YoY to $243 million, with unit sales declining by 3% YoY to 84 million. The No. 1 sellers in this subcategory was Fun Pops. The division of Burlington, N.C.-based Alamance Foods saw dollar sales decline by 4% YoY to $70 million, but unit sales gained 1% YoY to 26 million, per Circana data. 

Despite overall declines in the subcategory, two companies among the top 10 sellers enjoyed double-digit dollar sales increases, one of whom picked up a double-digit unit sales gain as well. This latter distinction goes to No. 10 seller Tampico. The Chicago-based company picked up a strong YoY dollar sales gain of 46% YoY to $6.5 million, with unit sales gaining 37% YoY to 5.5 million. 

Meanwhile, Wylers enjoyed a YoY dollar sales gain of 26% to $18 million, but unit sales dropped nearly 3% YoY to nearly 3 million for the division of Chicago-based The Jel Sert Co.