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The US ice cream industry is moving ahead with plans to eliminate certified artificial colours from covered retail ice cream products made with real milk by the end of 2027, according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).
The industry group said dozens of ice cream companies representing more than 90% of the US market have committed to the initiative, with many products already meeting the target.
IDFA announced the voluntary Ice Cream Commitment in July 2025. The initiative brings manufacturers together around a common deadline for reformulation, rather than relying on individual company commitments.
The progress was highlighted at an event at the US Department of Agriculture headquarters attended by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and representatives of the dairy and ice cream industries.
Richard Graeter, president and CEO of Cincinnati-based Graeter’s Ice Cream and chair of the IDFA Ice Cream Board, said: “Over the past year, ice cream makers large and small have been doing the hard work behind the scenes, reformulating products, working with suppliers and investing in their operations to deliver on this commitment.”
The reformulation effort involves replacing certified artificial colours while maintaining the taste, appearance and other characteristics consumers expect from ice cream. IDFA said manufacturers have been working with ingredient suppliers and making operational investments as they transition products.
At the event, IDFA and federal officials showcased ice cream products made with real milk from US dairy farmers that contain no certified artificial colours.
The ice cream initiative is the latest of three voluntary commitments launched by IDFA in response to consumer and public-health priorities.
The association said its members have also completed two school-focused initiatives.
Under the Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment, dairy processors committed to eliminating certified artificial colours from milk, cheese and yogurt products sold as part of reimbursable school meals. IDFA said processors fulfilled that commitment ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
The Healthy School Milk Commitment focused on added sugar in flavoured school milk. According to IDFA, participating processors have limited added sugars to 10 grams per 8-ounce serving, resulting in a reported 57% reduction in added sugars in flavouredcolours milk sold in schools.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said 37 milk processors supplying approximately 90% of milk served in schools had met the sugar commitment, while all 57 processors participating in the school dairy initiative had removed certified artificial colors from covered products.
“These endeavours help families make better choices and pursue healthier lives,” Rollins said.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also praised the dairy sector's reformulation efforts, framing them as part of the Trump administration's broader “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes said the initiative is intended to demonstrate how coordinated voluntary action can address changing consumer expectations while maintaining the characteristics of dairy products.
“We listen to consumers, invest in innovation and take practical steps to improve our products while preserving the nutrition, taste, affordability and choice that Americans expect from dairy,” Dykes said.
The initiative also highlights the role of US dairy farmers in supplying the milk used in ice cream.
The IDFA represents dairy manufacturers and marketers across the US, including companies and cooperatives involved in milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, cultured products and dairy ingredients.
The organisation said the three voluntary commitments collectively represent an industry-wide approach to product reformulation, with the ice cream initiative now moving toward its end-2027 deadline.
