Ice cream is an irresistible treat; it’s the very reason why brands package their creamy goodness in the most creative and visually engaging ways possible.
After all, the packaging is not just about making a product look great. It’s all about selling an idea, a story, and an experience that everyone can indulge in. Just ask any professional packaging designer.
Great ice cream packages should instantly give customers a visual representation of how the sweet treat would taste like. From the illustrations and colorways to the actual packaging material, it should be enough to convince them to get that extra scoop!
Here are ten icy and mouthwatering examples of the best ice cream packaging designs that will make you want to lick your screen.
Table of Contents
1. Denada by Jo Cutri Studio
[Source: Jo Cutri Studio]
Standout Features:
- Japanese medical-style packaging
- Upfront nutritional labels
- Retro-inspired color palette
Denada is an Australian ice cream brand that literally means “it’s nothing.” Although it offers everything when it comes to the flavor profile, the designers at Jo Cutri Studio took those words to heart in creating this simple yet sophisticated ice cream packaging design.
First of all, Denada is stripped back of any additives. Wellness fans and fitness buffs, rejoice! This is an all-natural sweet treat that you can enjoy without worrying about the calories.
To highlight that, they added content labels like the sugar level, “low carb” and “no added sugar” right on the front. A guilt-free option indeed!
Also, the pops are contained in pints and boxes that are inspired by Japanese medical products. Besides emulating the softness and sleekness of those materials, such style choice further reinforces the brand’s “healthy” positioning on the market.
It’s not too simple, though. To compensate for the lack of extravagant visual elements, the designers used a spectrum of colors to bring out the brand’s fun and retro vibe.
Each package and flavor come in a vast array of color pairings like pink and red, yellow and blue, purple and pink, and so on. Altogether, the items are an absolute standout in a sea of options in stores and supermarkets.
2. Formula by Martina D’Agostino
[Source: Martina D’Agostino]
Standout Features:
- Simple and clean typography
- Pastel color combinations
- Multiple variations of packaging materials
Formula is an interactive and experimental ice cream laboratory designed for those who enjoy whipping up their own flavors and personalizing their moments.
More than the sweet treats, the company offers an unforgettable experience to its customers, which truly sets them apart from the competition.
With so many flavors to offer, Brazil-based Martina D’Agostino designed the packaging for the lab’s products with great dynamics.
Ice cream scoops are served in cups that are painted in the brand’s colorways. Popsicle sticks are wrapped in colorful cardboard. Soft serves come in long bottles like fruit juices and cold drinks. See the variation?
The ice cream pieces are already screaming in color, deciding to use white as the main canvas for the packaging materials is a smart move by the agency indeed. There are only a handful of lighter shade colors such as sky blue, canary yellow, pink, lavender and so on. This keeps everything clean and easy on the eyes.
That goes without saying that the designer also went for a minimalist and basic typography. Just a single sans serif font similar to the logo was used for all the product labels and text descriptions.
3. Volta by Detry Amorena
[Source: Detry Amorena]
Standout Features:
- Black and pastel color contrast
- Outlined illustrations with pops of color
- Double branding on the package
Loved by many for over a century, Volta is one of Argentina’s oldest traditional ice cream brands. And to increase its customer base, the company launched Volta Vegano – a new line of cold sweet treats for vegans.
Tasked to design a brand-new logo and packaging for a fresh set of flavors, Detry Amorena focused on a two-fold concept.
The designers went for a pitch-black color as the main theme for the packaging with a touch of pastels.
While the common style choice would be white, this color is heavily associated with milk and cream, which the vegan option obviously doesn’t carry. Using black is an unusual move for an ice cream design, but it definitely sets Volta Vegano apart from the brand’s classic line.
To make this dark aesthetic pop, they chose to present the various flavors in a hand-drawn illustration of a vertical garden. White outlines show different landscapes which are all filled with patterns in different pastel colors. This gives the brand its vegetal feel in a completely new and creative perspective.
Like most ice cream options, these treats are served in little pints a la Ben & Jerry’s. To further highlight the dark-and-light contrast, the covers are all painted in pastel colors like mint green, light blue, yellow, and more.
Another smart trick the designers pulled off is double-branding. Buyers get to see the logo and labels printed on both the cover and the actual pint. What a commendable way to increase brand recognition!
4. Cold Stone Creamery Egypt by Nader Zaki
[Source: Nader Zaki]
Standout Features:
- House-shaped ice cream boxes
- Rich and decadent colorways
- Multiple packaging variations
Cold Stone Creamery is a global ice cream chain with many countries taking their own spin on the treats – especially on their presentations. Among these options, one that truly stands out is this ice cream packaging design for Cold Stone Creamery Egypt by Nader Zaki.
The first thing that caught our eyes is the box that houses the sweet surprise.
It's shaped like a house – literally! Very rarely do we see ice cream options offered in boxes, let alone one in this shape. Great way to capture instant attention! But more than that, it gives the impression of a bigger serving, which immediately convinces the crowd that they're getting the most value for their money.
Aside from the box, there are other packaging variants for the different products, too. The ice cream sandwich and cones ice cream sandwich packaging are both wrapped in tear-ready plastic and paper, respectively. This is pretty standard, but what completely elevates them are the visuals.
The main colors reflect Cold Stone’s branding: red and white. To add decadence and richness, the designer threw in some yellows and browns in there, too. Adding realistic images of the products also adds to the packaging’s overall appeal and aesthetic.
5. Mamó ice cream by Lida Brain
[Source: Lida Brain]
Standout Features:
- Boxed ice cream pints
- Light-colored packaging materials
- Clean and simple ice cream cups
Mamó is a Ukrainian brand that serves delectable ice cream and refreshing drinks. With the varied set of packaging presentations that Lida Brian designed for this brand, customers are sure to get their ice cream options in ways more than one.
First, the treats are showcased in that typical single-serve pint. What makes it extraordinary, though, is the outer frame.
Aside from the pint, the product is also slipped into an open-sided box. Knowing that ice cream containers can be too cold to carry, having this extra layer of packaging delivers a more user-friendly experience for to-go orders. It also adds a premium feel to the ice cream. And it just simply looks great!
For in-store customers, they can get their scoops in printed cups with the logo. Just like the pints, they have minimal styling which only includes the brand name at the center to make the flavors shine.
All the materials are painted in a light beige color, a good way to keep things streamlined. It’s also the perfect neutral tone for some of the visual elements that come in a handful of colors. Instead of using realistic images and graphic illustrations, the designer opted for shapes and outlines for a more sleek and simple design.
6. Pops n Pops by Matheus Machado
[Source: Matheus Machado]
Standout Features:
- A mix of vintage and modern design
- Large typefaces for better legibility
- Retro-style colors and layouts
Serving up scoops since 1980, Pops n Pops is among the first ice cream shops in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Highlighting the brand’s roots and heritage, Matheus Machado whipped up an ice cream box packaging design that perfectly marries traditional and contemporary visual elements.
For starters, the brand is known for its commitment to using 100% all-natural ingredients. The designer made sure to incorporate this into the ice cream pints by stamping a large slogan that reads “everything is always naturally delicious.”
Do you know what else is large? The typography. On top of every pint, the flavor label sits at the center and occupies almost the entire space. This makes it easier for customers to pick and buy what they like.
Parallel to the slogan above, a massive “P’N’P” text is also printed on the pint’s body. It’s a shortened version of the brand name, adding a great modern touch and establishing an instant brand recall.
As an homage to its history, the product labels and other text descriptions reflect the logo’s vintage style. To match this, the designer used a bunch of retro colors like pink, blue, orange, purple, and green.
And it isn’t just for aesthetics. Each color serves as an indicator for a specific flavor, too!
7. Valls by weareyellow
[Source: weareyellow]
Standout Features:
- Rebranded contemporary packaging
- Artisan-quality visuals
- Clean and simple layouts
With its distinct and iconic flavors, Valls has a long history of “refreshing the summers of Mallorca” since 1929 – until it closed down several years ago.
But now that it’s back with more delectable flavors to offer, design agency weareyellow breathed new life into its branding strategy. Exhibit A: this innovative yet nostalgic packaging design.
While introducing new looks, the designers stayed true to the heritage by keeping certain elements of the original logo and brand colors.
The iconic penguin illustration serves as a distinguishable visual element that the local demographics can instantly connect with. Also, the red and beige color palette has been associated with the brand for generations, so it’s a smart move to keep it.
As for the actual packaging presentation, the ice cream cones are wrapped in brown paper bearing the brand name and penguin stamp for an extra brand recall. The same goes for the ice cream scoops served in cups – they feature a minimalist design that puts more focus on the brand and its artisan quality.
8. Steep Creamery by simoneone
[Source: simoneone]
Standout Features:
- Doodle-style illustrations
- Minimal text blocks
- Simple black-and-white colorway
Like most companies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Steep Creamery had to close down one of its stores to keep the brand alive.
To show their true character and resilience, they commissioned simoneone to create a moving art piece that they could use for the packaging.
The image we’re talking about is a doodle-style graphic illustration of the brand’s journey so far. It features a bunch of icons that represent the company’s key milestones: their first drink and ice cream sold, first opened store, expansion locations, and more.
Way to highlight the brand story creatively and sentimentally!
This entire illustration serves as the key branding visual as it is wrapped around the ice cream pint. Thanks to this, customers get to enjoy their sweet treat while getting a taste of the company’s well-lived journey.
With this style choice, using a simple color palette complements the overall design. The entire illustration is black-and-white, which stays true to the doodle theme and keeps things clean and streamlined.
The only color pop you’ll see is the green leaf on the logo, which draws attention back to the brand name. Brand recall, check!
9. Pops ‘n Bops by Brandsummit
[Source: Pops ‘n Bops]
Standout Features:
- Two-toned color palette
- Mix of traditional and modern design elements
- Character illustrations
Pops ‘n Bops is an ice cream brand that speaks both to traditionalists and thrill-seekers. With this brand identity, Brandsummit packaged these sweets with the perfect blend of conventional and contemporary styles.
The sweet treats come in two variants. One is the classic Bop, which takes the form of a regular ice cream scoop served in a tub. The other one is the modern and daring Pop, which comes as a popsicle stick.
Using a boxed packaging presentation for the ice cream bundle is also an unusual yet functional way to serve ice cream.
To further highlight the duality, the designers used a fresh and sweet color combination of yellow and pink. This pairing also perfectly represents the pastry character of the brand which is seen in its flavor profile.
The addition of character sketches as illustrations for the packaging is also a great way to personify the brand’s unique identity.
10. The Weekend Sandwich by Brandon
[Source: The Weekend Sandwich]
Standout Features:
- Attractive doodle art
- Different color schemes per flavor
- Flat texture packaging material
Design agency Brandon and The Weekend Sandwich collaboration is a match made in summer heaven! The designers gave life to doodle art through ocean waves, summer wind and cute animals.
The chocolate-flavored ice cream packaging uses a pink and purple combination, a subtle nod to the 80s art vibe. This color story complements the orange doodles quite well while also keeping the brand identity intact: playful and youthful. There are also hidden unicorn and elephant drawings in the doodle art, a sweet surprise for the kids who'll find them!
Meanwhile, their vanilla-flavored ice cream features a slightly different color scheme (purple and light blue), a great way to differentiate the flavors in one look.
Overall, this summer-themed ice cream packaging design is a visual treat to the kids and kids at heart!
