Low-calorie dessert brand Halo Top is expanding into a new category: frozen yogurt pops. These Frozen Yogurt Bars feature a blend of Icelandic-style skyr yogurt on a stick, combining frozen yogurt with pieces of fruit and granola. They are available in two flavors: Triple Berry, which includes blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry, and Strawberry.
“Our fans are familiar with and appreciate our ice creams and other frozen desserts, but we wanted to provide a convenient snack for any time of the day that offers all the indulgence of Halo Top, along with a boost of protein and flavor,” said Pete Gargula, Halo Top’s brand manager. “An Icelandic Skyr style frozen yogurt pop was the perfect answer.”
Once the leading brand of pint ice cream in the U.S., Halo Top has ventured into new product lines as its previously soaring ice cream sales declined. In 2020, the brand introduced its own ice cream bars, followed by frozen fruit pops a year later. Last year, it launched pints of reduced-sugar fruit sorbet.
Halo Top’s Frozen Yogurt Bars mark the second significant innovation from Wells Enterprises-owned Halo Top this year. In 2023, the brand appears to be moving further away from its ice cream origins, having launched baking mixes in January and now these frozen yogurt bars. Currently, Halo Top does not offer any other yogurt products, either frozen or refrigerated.
Few brands have ventured into the frozen yogurt bar segment. The only widely recognized option in this area comes from Yasso, known for its frozen Greek yogurt treats, though their flavors tend to be more indulgent, such as Birthday Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Outshine, which is owned by Nestle and licensed to Froneri, previously had a line of healthier yogurt pops, but those have since been discontinued.
Halo Top specializes in better-for-you treats. Although a frozen version of a healthy yogurt snack may not seem indulgent, that may be the intent. Consumers appreciate that Halo Top’s products have fewer undesirable nutritional aspects, allowing them to indulge in a treat that feels more wholesome.
In another development, consumers who prefer to avoid spicy snacks can now enjoy the popular Takis brand without the heat. Known for its spicy rolled chips, Takis has launched a new line of non-spicy nacho cheese snacks, available in three varieties: Rolled Chips, Waves chips, which are similar to Frito-Lay’s Ruffles, and Pop popcorn.
Takis is owned by Barcel USA, a fast-growing consumer packaged goods company based in Coppell, Texas. The brand has expanded its product line from rolled tortilla chips to include Waves, Watz, Stix, Pop, and Hot Nuts. With nearly 2 million followers on TikTok, Takis has found viral success, particularly among Gen Z consumers, 73% of whom report purchasing spicier snacks, according to a 2021 Harris Poll survey. To promote the new snacks, the brand has launched a marketing campaign featuring DJ Steve Aoki, who created a new song for them.
This new snack line will compete with established nacho tortilla chip brands like Frito-Lay’s Doritos, which has recently introduced spicy rolled tortilla chips, including Dinamita Flamin’ Hot Queso. Barcel is also focusing on sustainable packaging for the new line, with bags that are recyclable through a partnership with TerraCycle, which requires consumers to mail in the packaging with a prepaid shipping label.
Additionally, Unique Snacks, primarily known for its pretzel snacks, is entering a new category while staying close to its roots. The Pennsylvania-based company has launched Puffzels, a gluten-free and non-fried snack that combines puffs and pretzels. Made from corn and oats shaped like pretzels, Puffzels come in four flavors: Honey Mustard, Aged Cheddar, Wild Buffalo, and Homestyle (garlic and butter).
“Staying true to the Unique Snacks brand name is a fun challenge, and we aimed to develop a snack that stands out in the market,” said Justin Spannuth, the company’s COO. The 100-year-old company has maintained its traditional pretzel-making process, using five primary ingredients and avoiding added sugar in its pretzels. However, it has increased its innovation pace to remain competitive in the salty snack sector.
With the salty snack market valued at $36 billion and dominated by giants like PepsiCo, which owns brands like Doritos and Cheetos, smaller companies like Unique are compelled to innovate with products like Puffzels to capture consumer attention. Moreover, as health-conscious trends rise, snacks rich in calcium citrate are becoming increasingly popular, highlighting the importance of nutritional benefits in these new offerings.