Le Mars, IA — On Wednesday, October 8, Wells Enterprises announced plans to debut Nutella Ice Cream and Kinder Bueno Frozen Dessert at the upcoming NACS Show in Chicago, October 14–17. The two new frozen treats, available in both pints* and cones, will begin shipping to convenience distributors on December 1, 2025, with broader retail distribution planned for spring 2026. Created to expand the frozen category, these offerings are expected to attract new shoppers, boost overall frozen dessert sales, and reinforce Wells’ leadership in frozen innovation.
“Wells has a century of ice cream expertise and a passion for innovation,” said Isabella Chia, Chief Marketing Officer at Wells Enterprises. “By combining that expertise with the global love of Nutella and Kinder Bueno, we are opening a new premium space in frozen treats that delights consumers, strengthens the frozen aisle, and drives incremental sales for our retail and convenience partners.”
Market Impact and Category Growth
Nutella Ice Cream and Kinder Bueno Frozen Dessert represent the next wave of premium innovation from Wells, building on the company’s proven track record of creating incremental growth in frozen treats.
Ice Cream Candy Bars, Wells’ latest frozen innovation, have already proven to be powerful category builders. According to NielsenIQ, 40 percent of sales are incremental to the ice cream category and 60 percent incremental to mainstream handheld treats (Total U.S. xAOC, 52 weeks ending Aug. 23, 2025). In just nine months, the portfolio has generated more than $18 million in retail sales, added two million new households, and reached 1.2 percent household penetration.
Within that portfolio, candy-bar novelties such as Butterfinger (#5 top-selling new handheld item) and 100 Grand (#8) have driven strong category momentum; in ice cream–based novelties alone, Butterfinger ranks #2 and 100 Grand ranks #4 (NielsenIQ, Total U.S. xAOC, 52 weeks ending Aug. 23, 2025).
This success provides a strong foundation for Nutella Ice Cream and Kinder Bueno Frozen Dessert, which are positioned to premiumize the cone segment, where premium offerings remain underdeveloped at less than two percent of the market, and to capture share in the premium pint segment, which already accounts for more than 75 percent of total pint sales (NielsenIQ, Total U.S. xAOC, 52 weeks ending Sept. 13, 2025).
“Nutella Ice Cream and Kinder Bueno Frozen Dessert are just the beginning of a pipeline of bold new concepts designed to keep convenience-store and grocery freezers exciting and profitable,” Chia added. “These launches underscore Wells’ commitment to category-leading innovation and to partnering with retailers to create new growth across the frozen dessert aisle.”
