In 2009, the streets of Lahore were awash with orange. Smartly dressed men in orange shirts and caps pedaled orange ice cream cycles in small caravans throughout the city. This marked the launch of Omore ice cream, accompanied by a marketing blitz that included television adverts, billboards, banners, flyers, and lucky draws. Behind this vibrant campaign was a significant battle between Pakistani conglomerate Engro and multinational giant Unilever.
Since its introduction by Unilever nearly 15 years earlier, Walls had reigned supreme in Pakistan’s ice cream market. By 2000, Walls had solidified its dominance, absorbing competitors like Polka. The launch of Omore by Engro Foods in 2009 was the first serious challenge to Walls’ supremacy, sparking hopes that Walls might be knocked down a peg.
However, that challenge has not played out as anticipated. According to the latest data, Walls still controls a simple majority of retail sales in Pakistan’s ice cream sector, holding 53.4% of the market, which was worth over Rs 50 billion in sales in 2023. Omore, while a strong competitor, trails significantly with 17.4% of the market. Other players include Igloo, which has a strong presence in specific areas, and Hico, which specializes in selling ice cream tubs to restaurants, but neither has made a major impact on the market as a whole.
Walls’ dominance over the past three decades is clear. Despite concerted efforts to dethrone it, Walls remains the leader in the ice cream market. Omore, though unable to reach parity with Walls, has maintained a steady market share. As the industry continues to evolve, Omore may yet find opportunities to gain ground.
To understand the current dynamics and potential future shifts, it is important to examine the journey of these brands and the overall state of the ice cream industry in Pakistan.
