The 99 ice cream has been voted Britain’s sweetest reminder of childhood

Brits love delving back into their childhood and one thing is standing out – a simple 99 ice cream (although flakes and strawberry sauce are optional)

Nearly half of British adults say that a 99 ice cream is their strongest reminder of childhood, according to new research. More than classic weekend TV, the Argos catalogue, or collectable magazines, 49% of people said the iconic soft serve brings back their fondest memories of summer holidays and visits from the local ice cream van.

In fact, they rated the 99 higher than any other nostalgic trigger. The research by Ninja also revealed a surge of interest in recreating those moments at home, with 45% of consumers eager to make soft serve themselves and 73% saying they would like to own a machine to do just that.

When it comes to flavours, vanilla remains top, with 36% choosing it as their favourite, followed by 19% each for chocolate and mint choc chip. As for the cone, 41% prefer a waffle while 27% still go for the traditional wafer. But nearly nine in 10 agree: it’s not a true 99 without a chocolate flake.

And Brits remain nostalgic about the price too – with 64% of people reporting a 50% increase in price in their area, with the average 99 costing more than £1.50. Ninja has launched the Ninja Swirl by CREAMi, a 13-in-1 soft serve and ice cream maker, which enables those with a sweet tooth to recreate their favourite frozen treats at home.

With 13 one-touch programmes, including ice cream, light ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, and more, it offers a fun, customisable way to indulge nostalgia – minus the mad dash for the van as it drives down the street.

It also offers a healthier option, so keep-fit fanatics can create a protein ice cream. James Kitto, Northern Europe managing director at SharkNinja, said: “We understand that food is a gateway to memories and a way to connect with our past.

“With Ninja Swirl by CREAMi, we’re not just offering a regular kitchen appliance, we’re offering a ticket back to simpler times and bringing consumers the joy of that perfect 99p soft serve, that everyone loves, directly into people’s homes.”