2021 Ice Cream Clinic and Competiton's

NICRA offers members two opportunities to put their products to the test! Our Ice Cream clinic and Best New Flavor Competitions give store owners a chance to

Test your food safety practices, manufacturing practices and the quality of your ingredients Earn national recognition for your products and your business Seek continued improvement to your products and manufacturing procedures Learn from experts in the ice cream manufacturing industry Differentiate yourself from your competitors Promote your ice cream shop as a National Award Winning Ice Cream Producer

This year we are excited to announce updates to the Ice Cream Clinic and Competition process and judging. This year products will be tested by Cornell's renowned Dairy Extension Team. This Team will include: Kim Bukowski –Dairy Extension Team Leader, and former Ice Cream Shop owner. Alina Stelick –Sensory Evaluation Center Manager, leading the professionally trained group of panelists to

5evaluate your every scoop. Deanna Simons - Quality Manager & Academic Programs Coordinator for the Cornell Dairy Plant and judge of the famous Cornell undergraduate Food Science 1101 Ice Cream Competition. Dr. Nicole Martin – Associate Director of the Milk Quality Improvement Program and Ice Cream Afficionado. Dr. Sam Alcaine – Assistant Professor, and previous R&D Food Safety lead for Unilever’s North American Ice Cream Business.

Ice Cream Clinic

The Ice Cream Clinic offers NICRA members who manufacture ice cream the opportunity to have their Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry products tested in accordance with FDA food safety standards and then scored for quality by Cornell’s renowned Dairy Extension Team. Each flavor is scored in six categories with 43 total points available.

Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry soft serve, gelato, frozen custard and frozen yogurt may be entered into the Ice Cream Clinic. However, the sensory testing and scoring for all samples will be judged using the standards for hard ice cream, since there are no standards for judging these other products.

Members are required to pay a fee of $89 per entry, plus the cost of their shipping kits, dry ice and shipping costs to the designated University conducting the testing and sensory judging. While NICRA subsidizes the cost of operating the Clinic, the entry fee aids in covering the cost of bacterial testing and sensory judging.

Scoring

Official scorecards are provided at the annual convention. Awards are announced and presented at the Awards Banquet on the final nights of the annual convention and trade show. Every entry is assigned an identification number which is used throughout the bacterial testing and sensory judging process, and to complete the official scorecard. Only two people have access to member identification numbers. One designated individual of the NICRA administrative team, and the chairperson of the Ice Cream Clinic committee as awards are prepared for presentation. Both individuals are subject to a strict code of conduct.

Please click HERE for more information on registering your flavors for the Ice Cream Clinic.

Best New Flavor Competitions

The Best New Flavor Contest and the Best New Non-Dairy Flavor contest provide members the opportunity to showcase new, innovative flavor concepts, and to earn the honor of being named NORTH AMERICA'S BEST NEW ICE CREAM FLAVOR! Winners are selected by NICRA members in attendance at the annual convention and tradeshow. Trophies and awards are presented at the Awards Banquet, held the final evening of the convention.

Soft serve, gelato, frozen custard and frozen yogurt may be entered into the Contest. Members are required to pay a fee of $59 per entry, plus the cost of their shipping kits, dry ice and shipping costs to the designated University conducting the testing.

While NICRA subsidizes the cost of operating the Contest, the entry fee aids in covering the cost of bacterial testing.

Scoring

Flavors tested according to FDA food safety practices and then judged by the membership on originality, quality, flavor and marketability at the annual meeting.

A trophy honoring the winner of the Best New Flavor Contest, along with ribbons and certificates of recognition for the top performers are presented at the Awards Banquet at the annual convention.

The winner of the Best New Flavor in both Dairy and Non-Dairy categories will be shipped the winners trophy after convention. Winners will keep the trophy until the following years competition. Winners also receive ribbons and certificates of recognition, which are theirs to keep and proudly display in their business.

Please click HERE for more information on registering your flavors for the Best New Flavor Competitions.