Who: Eden Creamery
What: Halo Top Cookies & Cream
Where: Ice cream
How much: £5/473ml
Why: Launched in 2012 in the US, healthier ice cream Halo Top was a sensation in its homeland by the time it arrived in early 2018 in the UK. Within 12 months, British shoppers had bought £21.1m worth of the Californian brand’s reduced sugar, high protein desserts [Nielsen 52 w/e 12 January 2019]. It also proved to be a style icon: Halo Top’s design has sparked a slew of imitators, with Breyers Delights, Jude’s, the mults and the discounters just a few to have taken some degree of design inspiration for the look of their own better-for-you ice creams.
Consumer verdict: Initial interest among shoppers was bolstered by Halo Top’s healthier positioning. However, there was a great deal of disappointment with the ice cream’s delivery – especially given its premium price point. There was criticism for its “bland” execution, “grainy texture” and “strange aftertaste”. The ice cream was “not nice” and “very expensive”. While purchase intention fell significantly post-trial, there was still some praise, including “surprisingly full of flavour”, “great quality” and “creamy”.
Pre-trial purchase: 53%
Post-trial purchase: 21%
Better than what’s out there: 45%
New and different: 83%
Overall score: 32/50
Acid Test: Halo Top Cookies & Cream
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