It appears that the keto diet is gaining immense popularity these days, and even Halo Top has jumped on the bandwagon. The low-calorie ice cream brand, which revolutionized the frozen dessert aisle a few years ago, is now catering to those following the high-protein, high-fat, and low-carbohydrate keto diet aimed at rapid weight loss. Halo Top has launched a new Keto Series featuring seven flavors: Peanut Butter Chocolate, Jelly Donut, Caramel Butter Pecan, Berry Swirl, Chocolate Cheesecake, Banana Cream Pie, and White Chocolaty Macadamia Nut. Each pint contains between 5 to 10 net carbs and 410 to 630 calories. Notably, the carb count is emphasized on the packaging, indicating the total carbs per pint rather than calories, which is standard for regular Halo Top products.
“Our brand is dedicated to creating delicious desserts that everyone can enjoy, and these new flavors enable us to cater to our fans who want to reduce their sugar intake,” stated Meg Graeff, senior brand manager for Halo Top, in a press release. As consumers entered 2020, interest in the keto diet surged, with Google Trends showing that searches for the term more than doubled from the last week of 2019 to early January. This spike in interest aligns with the traditional New Year’s resolution to lose weight.
If there’s any brand equipped to introduce ice cream into the weight loss diet conversation, it’s Halo Top. The company has built its reputation on making tasty, low-calorie, high-protein, and low-sugar ice cream, which is often viewed as a healthier alternative to conventional ice cream. This winning combination propelled Halo Top’s sales to soar by 2,500% between 2016 and 2017, making it the best-selling pint of ice cream in the United States. Its success also led to imitation products from competitors like Breyers, Ben & Jerry’s, and Unilever with its Culture Republick line.
Halo Top is not alone in reimagining sweets for the keto audience. Duncan Hines, owned by Conagra, recently introduced keto-friendly cake mixes. Given that the keto diet emphasizes high-nutrient, low-carb whole foods—such as green vegetables, meat, nuts, and cheese—it’s clear that consumer packaged goods manufacturers recognize that those on the keto regimen still want to indulge.
This marks Halo Top’s first major launch since its acquisition by Wells Enterprises, the maker of Blue Bunny ice cream, last year. As the largest privately held ice cream manufacturer in the U.S., Wells opted for a bold initial product line extension for Halo Top. If past performance is any indication, expect to see a plethora of keto-friendly ice cream options filling the freezers next year.
Meanwhile, the oat trend is also making waves in the beer industry. DuClaw Brewing is set to release Oatshake Double IPA and The PastryArchy Oat Milk Imperial Stout, both brewed with oat milk instead of traditional lactose for creaminess. The Baltimore-based brewery plans to distribute these new offerings across 19 states, with a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans priced between $11.99 and $13.99.
“Using oat milk in beer may sound innovative, but it’s essentially just extracting liquid from soaked oats,” said Chris Wood, DuClaw’s director of brewery operations. He noted that oats are already common ingredients for brewing. A company spokeswoman shared that creating the beer was quite the journey, as DuClaw had difficulty sourcing oat milk in bulk. They needed to devise a method to produce sufficient oat milk in-house, which included removing the concrete-like oats from brewing tanks.
As consumers seek healthier options, the popularity of oats has surged. In the past year, Chobani has launched oat-based yogurts and oat milk for coffee, while Nestlé’s Nesquik introduced a new beverage line called GoodNes featuring Chocolate Oat Milk. Endangered Species Chocolate has also released a new line of chocolate bars utilizing oat milk instead of dairy.
For breweries like DuClaw, experimenting with oat milk allows them to stand out in a market crowded with over 7,300 craft beer companies across the U.S. While incorporating trendy ingredients like oat milk doesn’t guarantee success, it certainly generates conversation—which is a win for marketing.
At this rate, it seems there will soon be dairy-free alternatives for everything. Danone’s Silk brand is launching the first plant-based substitute for heavy whipping cream, combining coconut and sunflower oils with faba bean protein and sunflower lecithin. This alternative is now available in grocery stores nationwide. The product is keto-friendly, gluten-free, and Non-GMO Project Verified, making it suitable for various recipes, including desserts, sauces, and soups.
David Robinson, senior brand manager for Silk, noted that the introduction of this product was driven by market demand, aiming to provide an easy swap for those wanting to incorporate more dairy-free options. With more consumers opting for plant-based foods, U.S. sales in this sector grew by 11% last year, bringing the total market value to $4.5 billion, according to The Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association. This growth trend is expected to continue.
The plant-based dairy sector has seen significant innovation, particularly as traditional dairy products from cows face increased competition. According to an Innova Market Insights report, the plant-based dairy sector will diversify further as consumer interest grows. Silk has already introduced a dairy-free half-and-half coffee creamer made from oat and coconut milk, indicating readiness for more alternatives. Other companies are also entering the market with plant-based cream products. For example, Conagra Brands’ Reddi-Wip released a vegan whipped cream based on coconut and almond in 2018, while Trader Joe’s reintroduced its vegan Coconut Whipped Topping last year as Sweet Rose.
Though these products are tailored for topping coffee, pies, or ice cream sundaes, Silk’s new ingredient-focused launch is set for versatile uses in desserts, sauces, or biscuits. More dairy alternatives are likely to emerge, capturing greater market share as consumer preferences shift.
Additionally, with the increasing awareness of supplemental health benefits, products like Kirkland Calcium Citrate Magnesium Zinc are becoming more sought after, highlighting the trend toward health-conscious eating and drinking.