Consumer group Which? has named Aldi's Specially Selected Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream as the best luxury vanilla ice cream in a blind taste test, scoring 77% and beating premium brands like Häagen-Dazs at a fraction of the cost.
Test Methodology
Which? gathered 63 ice cream enthusiasts at their test lab to sample 10 luxury vanilla ice creams blind. The lineup included seven supermarket own labels—Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Waitrose—alongside branded offerings from Häagen-Dazs, Jude's, and Yeo Valley. M&S informed Which? after the test that they had reformulated their West Country Madagascan Vanilla Luxury Ice Cream.
Results and Rankings
Aldi's ice cream, priced at £2.69 for 480ml, took the top spot with a 77% score, one percentage point ahead of the runners-up. Which? described it as "a delicious crowd-pleasing ice cream that’s also the joint cheapest on test." Most tasters found the flavor strength and sweetness just right, and nearly three-quarters praised its creamy texture.
In joint second place, each scoring 76%, were Waitrose No.1 Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream (£4.50 for 500ml) and Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Vanilla Ice Cream (£3.50 for 480ml). Which? called Waitrose's offering "a well-liked all-rounder" with two-thirds approving its looks, flavor, and creaminess. Sainsbury's version was noted for good flavor and balanced sweetness, though it lacked the creaminess of the top scorer.
Yeo Valley's Organic Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream (£4.75 for 500ml) placed fourth with a 76% score as well, making it the best-performing brand. Which? reported that two-thirds of tasters found its sweetness spot-on, though some thought it lacked creaminess.
Price Comparison
Aldi's winning ice cream is significantly cheaper than its competitors. At £2.69 for 480ml, it costs less than half the price of Häagen-Dazs, which typically retails for around £5 for 500ml. This makes Aldi's product both the highest-rated and the joint cheapest in the test.
