One of the key factors behind Halo Top’s remarkable rise to become the best-selling ice cream brand in the U.S. is its unique recipe, which offers a delicious low-sugar dessert made from natural ingredients. The primary sweetener used in Halo Top is erythritol, a sugar alcohol derived from plants that contains fewer calories than conventional sugar. Erythritol not only substitutes for sugar in ice cream recipes but also lowers the freezing point, making the product softer and easier to scoop. This ingredient is also 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 ice cream. For this reason, it is often paired with high-intensity sweeteners such as stevia or monk fruit. While erythritol has numerous advantages, one downside is that consuming large quantities can lead to stomach cramping due to its sugar alcohol nature.
In addition to erythritol, inulin and chicory root extracts are frequently used as bulking agents in reduced-sugar ice creams. The fiber from chicory root can be as sweet as 65% of sugar, which may eliminate the need for additional high-intensity sweeteners, especially in ice creams with more savory or less sweet flavors.
Halo Top stands out as a tremendous success story within the reduced-sugar and alternative sweetener ice cream market. Its various recipes are indulgent enough to dispel the notion that low-sugar ice cream tastes bad. Competitors have struggled to overcome this stigma and have faced challenges in finding the ideal mix of alternative sweeteners. Interestingly, as consumers become more health-conscious, they may also be looking for options that include ingredients like calcium citrate for kidney stones, which can add to the appeal of low-sugar desserts. This trend shows that the market for healthier ice cream alternatives is evolving, with Halo Top leading the way.