Halo Tops the Healthy Ice Cream Market
If you’re into fitness and nutrition, you’ve almost certainly heard of Halo Top ice cream (the so-called healthy ice cream). In my years as a sports nutritionist, I’ve seen countless “healthy” dessert trends come and go, but few have had the impact of this brand.
It completely changed the game for guilt-free treats.
But while Halo Top exploded onto the scene, the market for healthy ice cream is now packed with tough competitors. This guide breaks down how Halo Top became a phenomenon, how it stacks up today, and what you, as a health-conscious consumer, really need to know.
And if you feel inspired to make your own, don’t miss our homemade protein ice cream recipe.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- Market Disruptor: Halo Top launched in 2012 and peaked in 2017, becoming the best-selling ice cream pint in the U.S. by marketing itself as a “guilt-free” indulgence you could eat in one sitting.
- Nutritional Strategy: It achieves its low-calorie count by using skim milk, plant-based sweeteners like Stevia, and a sugar alcohol called erythritol. It also incorporates more air, making it lighter than traditional ice cream.
- Competitive Landscape: Once the undisputed leader, Halo Top now faces intense competition from other healthy ice cream brands like Nick’s, Enlightened, and Rebel Creamery.
- Corporate Evolution: After its peak, Halo Top was acquired by Wells Enterprises in 2019. In a major 2022 deal, Wells Enterprises itself was acquired by the Ferrero Group, the parent company of Nutella and Kinder.
What Fueled Halo Top’s Meteoric Rise in Healthy Ice Cream?
When Halo Top launched in 2012, it created an entirely new category. Before then, your choices were typically sugar-loaded premium brands like Ben & Jerry’s or icy, unsatisfying “diet” desserts. Halo Top presented itself as the first “lifestyle” ice cream, a product you could finish in one sitting without derailing your diet.
The market responded enthusiastically. In 2016 alone, the company’s sales grew by an astounding 2,500%. By July 2017, Halo Top achieved what seemed impossible, it became the single best-selling pint of ice cream in U.S. grocery stores, surpassing industry giants.
The appeal was simple and powerful. Each pint contains between 240 and 360 calories and packs around 20 grams of protein. From a fitness perspective, those numbers were revolutionary, offering a high-protein treat that felt like a true indulgence.
The Nutritional Secret: How Is It So Low in Calories?
As a nutritionist, I always look past the front of the carton. Halo Top’s success isn’t magic, it’s a specific formulation designed to cut calories and sugar while boosting protein.
Here’s the breakdown of what makes this healthy ice cream different:
- Sugar Alternatives: Instead of relying entirely on sugar, Halo Top uses two key sweeteners. The first is organic stevia, a plant-based sweetener. The second is erythritol, a sugar alcohol found naturally in fruits like grapes and pears that doesn’t cause bloating like some other sugar alcohols.
- High-Protein Base: The foundation isn’t full-fat cream. It’s made with skim milk and milk protein concentrate, which dramatically increases the protein content and lowers the fat.
- Added Fiber: The recipe includes prebiotic fiber, which helps create a creamier texture and adds body, something often missing in low-fat desserts.
- Less Dense, More Air: A key factor is something called “overrun,” which refers to the amount of air churned into the ice cream. Halo Top is lighter and less dense. A 2017 analysis showed a pint of vanilla Halo Top weighed 256 grams, while a pint of Ben & Jerry’s vanilla was 428 grams.
Related Article: Is Six-Pack Creamery High-Protein Ice Cream a Halo Top Killer?
How Does Halo Top Compare to Today’s Competition?
Halo Top’s success paved the way for a flood of competitors. Today, the freezer aisle is full of brands that took Halo Top’s playbook and added their own spin. The market for healthy ice cream is more competitive than ever.
Its main rivals now include brands like Nick’s, a Swedish-style light ice cream, and Enlightened. Both market low-calorie, high-protein options and have gained loyal followings. Some users on forums like Reddit mention that Nick’s often has a creamier texture, which may be due to its use of a unique fat substitute called EPG.
Here’s a quick, data-driven look at how they stack up.
| Brand | Typical Calories (Pint) | Protein (Pint) | Key Sweeteners | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halo Top | 290-360 | 16-20g | Erythritol, Stevia | Often has the highest protein count, but can be icier if not allowed to soften. |
| Nick’s | 250-390 | 9-12g | Erythritol, Allulose, Stevia | Praised for its creamy texture, but typically lower in protein than Halo Top. |
| Enlightened | 300-400 | 20-24g | Erythritol, Allulose, Monk Fruit | Often has very high protein, comparable to Halo Top, with a wide variety of mix-ins. |
The Business Behind the Healthy Ice Cream Brand: A New Chapter
After reaching its peak, Halo Top’s sales began to decline as competitors like Breyers Delights and even private-label store brands entered the market. This led to a new phase for the company.
In September 2019, the brand’s U.S. operations were sold to Wells Enterprises, a major player in the ice cream industry known for brands like Blue Bunny and Bomb Pop. This move provided Halo Top with the resources of an established industry giant.
The story took another major turn in late 2022, when the global confectionery powerhouse Ferrero Group, famous for Nutella and Ferrero Rocher, announced it was acquiring Wells Enterprises. This deal, which closed in early 2023, places Halo Top under the umbrella of one of the largest sweet-packaged food companies in the world.
Following its acquisition by Wells Enterprises, Halo Top even reformulated its recipe in 2022, introducing ultra-filtered milk to create a creamier texture and better mouthfeel, a direct response to consumer feedback and increased competition.
FAQs About Healthy Ice Cream
Who owns Halo Top now?
Halo Top is owned by Wells Enterprises. As of early 2023, Wells Enterprises is part of the Ferrero Group, the global company that also owns brands like Nutella, Kinder, and Tic Tac.
What is Halo Top sweetened with?
Halo Top primarily uses organic stevia leaf extract and erythritol. Stevia is a plant-based, zero-calorie sweetener, and erythritol is a sugar alcohol that does not affect blood glucose.
Is Halo Top still the most popular healthy ice cream?
While it became the #1 selling pint in the U.S. in 2017, the market is now much more crowded. It is no longer the undisputed leader but remains a major and foundational brand in the healthy ice cream category, facing strong competition from brands like Nick’s and Enlightened.
How many flavors does Halo Top have?
The number of flavors changes as some are introduced and others are discontinued. As of early 2025, the brand was streamlining its lineup, discontinuing over 10 flavors to make room for new ones with more mix-ins. Generally, there are around two dozen options available, including dairy, keto, and dairy-free pints.
*Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links or ads, which means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through these links. These commissions help support the operation and maintenance of our website, allowing us to continue producing free valuable content. Your support is genuinely appreciated, whether you choose to use our links or not. Thank you for being a part of our community and enjoying our content.
PLEASE CONSIDER SHARING THIS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO HELP OTHERS LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
