Which Country Has the Most Expensive Häagen-Dazs?

Amidst the serious discussions during the 2018 North Korea-US summit, leaders bonded over a shared love for vanilla Häagen-Dazs. Yep, ice cream diplomacy in action! The story of this iconic ice cream brand traces back to the dream of two Polish immigrants from the Bronx in 1960.

Founded in 1961 by Reuben and Rose Mattus in the Bronx, New York, Häagen-Dazs quickly gained fame for its delicious ice cream treats like cones, cups, and shakes. Although not Danish, the name was chosen as a tribute to Denmark's assistance during WWII. The brand's popularity grew globally and was acquired by Pillsbury in 1983, and General Mills in 2001.

Since its inception in 1961, Häagen-Dazs has been renowned for its luxurious ice cream offerings. Interestingly, it has become a commonly stolen item in supermarkets in New York, its birthplace, as reported by the New York Post. In 1976, Reuben's daughter Doris opened the first Häagen-Dazs shop in Brooklyn Heights, NY, starting the brand's national and international expansion.

To explore where Häagen-Dazs ice cream is most expensive, the CouponBirds team collected retail prices from Häagen-Dazs shops in 38 countries/regions worldwide and 131 cities across 30 US states, compiling the data into a map presentation.

Key Findings:

• China offers the most expensive Häagen-Dazs, priced at $9.89 for double scoops, while Pakistan sells the cheapest at only $3.41 for the same.

• Among 30 US states, Alaska has the highest cost for double scoops at $9.75, whereas Illinois has the lowest at just $5.25.

• In Anchorage, AK, double scoops of Häagen-Dazs are priced at $9.75, making it the most expensive Häagen-Dazs shop nationwide. On the other hand, Rosemont, IL and Gretna, LA dish out the same treat for nearly half the price at $5.25.

• Across supermarkets nationwide, the 14-oz classic Häagen-Dazs cup is consistently priced at $3.98, except in select states like Alaska, California, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Hawaii.

Häagen-Dazs Shop Pricing and Market Presence Globally

In the list of regions with the priciest Häagen-Dazs, Asia leads with four out of the top ten, followed by two each in Europe, America and the Middle East. Surprisingly, China, home to the world's largest ice cream market with sales surpassing $23 billion in 2020, has the most expensive Häagen-Dazs, with two scoops priced at $9.89.

When it comes to Häagen-Dazs shops, China tops the chart with 466 locations, outpacing the U.S. (208), Mexico (69), France (61) and Spain (38). Despite a challenging international environment, General Mills' Fiscal 2023 Fourth-quarter report highlights China's robust growth, significantly boosting the brand's organic net sales internationally.

Americas

In the United States, Häagen-Dazs double scoops average $7.06, placing them in the mid-range category. The most affordable double-scoop ice creams are in the Cayman Islands at $4.75, while Guam has the highest prices at $8.25 for two scoops. Mexico follows closely with two scoops priced at $8.08, making it the second most expensive in the region.

Despite the steep cost in Guam, customers are still drawn to its delightful taste. One customer rated it four stars on Tripadvisor, stating, "Good ice cream as always but expensive!". Notably, out of 151 Tripadvisor reviews for a Guam Häagen-Dazs Shop, only eight are categorized as poor or terrible.

Asia

Häagen-Dazs debuted in the Asian market in 1983, with entries in Singapore and Hong Kong. Currently, a two-scoop ice cream in Hong Kong is priced at $9.21, slightly lower than Mainland China, where it holds the highest global price at $9.89.

Conversely, Häagen-Dazs is considerably more affordable in other Asian countries. Pakistan, Indonesia, and Malaysia offer the lowest prices worldwide, at $3.41, $3.87 and $3.99 respectively for a two-scoop serving.

Europe

It's unfortunate that Häagen-Dazs closed its last permanent shop in the UK in 2015, but there are reports of a planned British comeback. In Croatia, where there are two Häagen-Dazs shops, the price per serving of double scoops is surprisingly low at $4.50, making it a must-visit destination for European Häagen-Dazs lovers seeking a budget-friendly treat. On the other hand, Belgium, known for its luxurious offerings, tops the list with a price of $8.51 for two scoops.

Middle East and Africa

Despite the Middle East's reputation for opulence and extravagance, the price of two scoops is not the highest globally. Saudi Arabia and the UAE serve up double scoops at relatively similar prices, $7.73 and $7.62 respectively.

South Africa stands out as the only African country with shop information available on the official Häagen-Dazs website. Ranking as the fourth cheapest country globally, South Africa offers double scoops for just $4.32, making it an affordable destination for enjoying this frosty treat.

Häagen-Dazs Shop Pricing and Market Presence Nationally

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared July as National Ice Cream Month, designating the third Sunday as National Ice Cream Day. As July heats up, Americans embrace National Ice Cream Month to enjoy the frozen treat with their loved ones. To mark this occasion, ice cream brands will offer special deals to pamper ice cream aficionados, so prepare to indulge yourself in the offers this year.

Ice cream, deeply woven into American culture, significantly impacts the economy. Häagen-Dazs, originating in New York in 1976, exemplifies this phenomenon, having expanded to 30 states and 131 cities. Notably, Florida leads with 57 Häagen-Dazs shops, followed by New York with 30.

In the US, prices for a two-scoop Häagen-Dazs ice cream vary significantly across states. In Alaska, Häagen-Dazs has the highest price at $9.75, being 14% pricier than the second highest, Wyoming. Notably, getting two scoops in Alaska is almost equivalent to enjoying four scoops in Illinois, where the treat costs just $5.25 for two scoops!

City Flavor Quest: Seeking the Most Affordable Häagen-Dazs Shop?

Among the 131 US cities with Häagen-Dazs shops surveyed, the average price for a double-scoop ice cream is $7.06. However, in 38% of these cities, prices exceed this average. Notably, Anchorage, AK, has the highest price for double scoops at $9.75, which is a significant 38% above the national average.

This steep price has triggered consumer dissatisfaction, as shown by one customer's review: "I ordered a waffle cone with a single scoop of ice cream for over $8.50. That's absolutely absurd. Never going back and don't know why anyone would pay that much for a sub-par ice cream cone." Additionally, the data reveals that three of the top ten most expensive cities for Haagen-Dazs are in Florida: North Miami, Coral Gables, and Naples, where prices are notably high.

More affordable choices can be found in Rosemont, IL, and Gretna, LA, where two scoops of ice cream are priced at $5.25, which is 25.6% below the national average. For Häagen-Dazs enthusiasts, these cities are a sanctuary of affordability.

The 14-oz Häagen-Dazs cup is Priced almost the Same across US supermarkets

Prices for a 14-oz Häagen-Dazs cup differ slightly in Walmarts across the US states, with Alaska being the priciest and Hawaii having the lowest price at $3.48. The standard price for this classic Häagen-Dazs cup in most US states is $3.98, highlighting its uniform pricing nationwide. This consistency promotes trust and loyalty by providing perceived value through transparent and fair pricing practices. Coca-Cola's long-standing "five cents-a-bottle" strategy exemplifies the benefits of maintaining consistent pricing, fostering brand loyalty.

However, Alaska is an exception with consumers there paying $4.78 for the same Häagen-Dazs cup. Alaskans, boasting staggering consumption of ice cream, seem unfazed by the premium cost, as evidenced by a Google review stating "Price was what you'd expect from any ice cream place in Alaska".

Methodology

We began our research by manually collecting prices of double-scoop ice cream from the Häagen-Dazs official website and Google Maps in 38 countries/regions with Häagen-Dazs shops, and converted them to US dollars. We then created a ranked list of prices by country.

Subsequently, using Häagen-Dazs official website's list of US shop locations, we compiled double-scoop ice cream prices from 195 shops across 30 states. Data was collected from the official website, Google Maps, and Yelp, allowing us to calculate the average price per state and assess distribution and ranking at the statewide level.

We then repeated this process for 195 Häagen-Dazs shops in 131 US cities, calculating the average price per city and ranking prices accordingly.

Finally, we researched the price of a 14 oz cup of vanilla Häagen-Dazs ice cream in Walmart stores of 134 cities with populations exceeding 50,000, covering all US states. Data was sourced from the Walmart website to create a ranked list of average ice cream prices by state and visualized the national price distribution for this specific ice cream type.

NOTES:

• This analysis focused on Häagen-Dazs double-scoop ice cream in Vanilla flavor.

• Japan was excluded from this study as Häagen-Dazs double-scoop ice cream is not available in Japanese Häagen-Dazs shops.

• In Vermont, with no city surpassing 50,000 residents, we selected Williston City for its highest population among cities with Walmart stores

• Data collection was completed on May 7, 2024.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.