The Functional Frozen Desserts Boom: 5 Brands Redefining Healthy Ice Cream | Left Hand Agency CPG High Five
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
Put on your coat and let’s walk down the frozen dessert aisle - because it’s a changin’!
For years, “better-for-you ice cream” meant fewer calories. But the rise of functional frozen desserts has completely changed the game. I’m old enough to remember when they came out with “Ice Milk” and my mom tried to peddle the thin watery substitute for real ice cream. No thanks!
We’ve come a long way, and newer brands are tackling everything from sugar reduction to layering in functional ingredients.
My take: the buyers of these products are likely not stealing much share from “regular” ice-cream consumers like me. It’s likely they are driving incremental sales to consumers who would otherwise pass on frozen desserts.
Here’s a look at FIVE Frozen Dessert Brands shaking up the ice-cream aisle.
1. Halo Top (The OG Disruptor)
Like so many of the best products, Halo Top was made by a founder who had a need. Justin Woolverton - a corporate attorney - started making his own lower-sugar ice cream to deal with some dietary restrictions.
I personally didn’t care for Halo Top - to me its mouthfeel and consistency didn’t mimic ice cream enough for me to crave it. And for me, dessert should be craveable.
But, as usual, what do I know? The brand was wildly popular and eventually got acquired.
Founded in 2022 by Paul Reiss and Michael Meadows, Protein Pints scaled from a handful of
Midwest doors to thousands of stores in just a couple of years.
This isn’t a kitchen-origin story. This is a retail execution story.
Higher protein, lower sugar, built to win on the shelf and move fast.
To me, this brand feelsl more optimized than reimagined. Better macros, cleaner positioning… but still clearly ice cream.
3. Smearcase
Founded in 2023 by Joe Rotondo and Drew DiSpirito, Smearcase didn’t set out to improve ice cream. It set out to rethink it.
Built from a cottage cheese base with ~40g+ of protein per pint, this is a fundamentally different product.
It started in a NYC apartment and scaled quickly into retail, fueled as much by cultural momentum as product innovation.
I haven’t tried Smearcase yet but definitely will. I used to get lowfat ricotta cheese and put cocoa and sweetener in it for a high protein dessert… guess I should have made it a brand!
4. Natty
Natty is one of the newer entrants in the high-protein frozen space, emerging in 2024 as part of the next wave of “cleaner” functional desserts.The brand was founded by brothers Tyrel and Garrett Johnson.
The brand is still early-stage but the packaging focuses on protein and macros - including fiber.
Natty leans into high protein, but with a more intentional ingredient deck and less reliance on the highly engineered formulations that defined earlier waves. We’ll be watching as they expand doors to see how they tackle the next chapter!
5. Nick’s
Founded in 2017 by Niclas “Nick” Luthman, a Swedish entrepreneur and former biotech engineer, Nick’s was built from a very different starting point.
Luthman was prediabetic and set out to create ice cream that didn’t spike blood sugar. (A very similar starting point to Halo Top).
So instead of just adding protein, he focused on rebuilding the sugar system itself using alternative sweeteners and fiber.
The result: lower net carbs, lower sugar, solid protein, but still very much ice cream.
Nick’s has since scaled in the U.S., becoming one of the more prominent better-for-you pints in retail.
I haven’t tried it personally. While it’s been around for almost a decade - I hadn’t heard of it until I was doing my research.
It appears Halo top spent on broad reach marketing while Nick’s has not - which may explain why it hasn’t take off the same way.
The Future of Functional Frozen Desserts
The momentum behind functional frozen desserts is only getting stronger.
As consumers become more health-conscious but still want indulgence, this category is perfectly positioned to grow without directly competing with traditional ice cream. Instead, it’s expanding the market and bringing in people who once avoided frozen treats altogether.
The brands that win won’t just optimize macros; they’ll balance taste, texture, and real functional value. Because at the end of the day, if it’s not craveable, it’s not repeatable.
We’re Left Hand Agency. We help CPG brands grow by making people remember you and buy you. We believe in marketing science over BS dashboards—and in incrementality over just velocity. Because moving faster isn’t growth if you’re just chasing the same customers. Let's grow together.
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