Halo Top’s rapid rise in the frozen dessert market has been significantly driven by consumers’ affection for its packaging. Each pint of Halo Top showcases a design featuring a prominent scoop of ice cream on the front. Inside the scoop, the calories per pint are displayed in large, bold type, making this information even more prominent than the Halo Top branding itself. In the bottom right corner, the grams of protein per pint are also highlighted. This design reflects the startup’s keen understanding of modern consumer preferences: people seek low-calorie, value-added, premium products. Increasingly, these preferences take precedence over brand loyalty, which explains Halo Top’s success, even as traditional ice cream giants like Breyers, Ben & Jerry’s, and Haagen-Dazs continue to innovate with new flavors.
It makes sense for Breyers to try to tap into the growing consumer demand for health-focused ice cream products. Interestingly, the company has opted to closely imitate Halo Top’s branding. The Breyers Delights packaging features a large spoon design in the center that indicates the calories per pint, while protein content is also noted in the bottom right corner. It will be intriguing to observe how Halo Top responds to this marketing strategy as Breyers Delights launch in August, and whether this approach resonates with consumers.
Breyers could potentially capture some of Halo Top’s market share, especially if their Delights line is priced lower. However, consumers might also perceive the legacy brand’s new offering as a mere imitation of the “real thing,” considering it less “authentic” than Halo Top. Much of Halo Top’s strength is derived from its cult following on Instagram, where the HaloTop hashtag has been used over 100,000 times, and the company boasts 470,000 followers to date. Unless Breyers can generate a similar buzz on social media, it is unlikely to dethrone the expanding Halo Top empire.
In the midst of this competition, it’s worth noting that consumers are also looking for products that celebrate not just flavor but nutritional benefits. This is where items like “celebrate calcium plus 500 chewable” come into play, as they align with the trend of consumers seeking healthier options. As both brands navigate this landscape, the demand for products that combine taste with nutritional value will likely continue to shape the market dynamics.