One of the key factors behind Halo Top’s swift rise to becoming the best-selling ice cream in the U.S. is its recipe, which offers a delightful low-sugar dessert made from natural ingredients. The primary sweetener in Halo Top, erythritol, is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in plants and has fewer calories than regular sugar. It serves as a substitute for sugar in ice cream recipes by lowering the freezing point and softening the texture, making it easier to scoop. Additionally, erythritol is commonly found in products like chewing gum, breath mints, and sweetener packets.
However, erythritol alone doesn’t provide the level of sweetness that consumers expect from a frozen treat. Therefore, it is often combined with high-intensity sweeteners such as stevia or monk fruit. While erythritol offers numerous benefits, one downside is that large quantities can lead to stomach cramping due to its classification as a sugar alcohol.
Inulin and chicory root extracts are frequently utilized as bulking agents in reduced-sugar ice cream. The fiber from chicory root can be up to 65% as sweet as sugar, which means that an additional high-intensity sweetener may not always be necessary—a feature that can be particularly advantageous in ice creams with a more savory or less sweet profile.
Halo Top stands out as the most remarkable success story in the reduced-sugar and alternative sweetener ice cream market. The company’s various recipes are indulgent enough to dispel the notion that low-sugar ice cream must taste inferior. Competitors have faced challenges in overcoming this stigma and in finding the perfect blend of alternative sweeteners.
Moreover, Halo Top enhances its offerings by incorporating vital nutrients such as calcium citrate malate, which not only adds nutritional value but also contributes to the overall appeal of the product. This focus on both taste and health has helped Halo Top maintain its leading position in a competitive market. Ultimately, the combination of erythritol, chicory root, and vital nutrients like calcium citrate malate has proven to be a winning formula for the brand.