As National Ice Cream Month arrives, one brand is dominating America’s online curiosity — and its success has a health-minded twist.

A new report from Innerbody Research analyzed search data across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., finding Halo Top as the most searched ice cream brand between April 2025 and April 2026.

Founded in 2011, Halo Top markets itself as a “feel-good treat” containing fewer calories and less sugar than traditional ice creams, with an added boost of protein.

The brand’s website highlights its boldly displayed calorie counts, claiming a commitment to transparency in an industry where many labels try to minimize nutrition data on packaging fronts.

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Its approach clearly resonated with consumers: by 2017, Halo Top’s revenue had surged more than 2,500% year over year, earning it Food Dive’s “Food Disruptor of the Year” honor.

Wells Enterprises, known for Blue Bunny ice cream, acquired Halo Top in 2019, further expanding its reach in the frozen dessert market.

Innerbody’s analysis showed Cold Stone Creamery, Breyers, Talenti, and Häagen Dazs trailing Halo Top in search interest. However, when it comes to sales, Dairy Foods Magazine reported Breyers, Blue Bunny, and Turkey Hill topped dollar rankings in 2025.

According to Johns Hopkins University food scientist and senior lecturer Kantha Shelke, search trends often mirror public anxieties rather than actual spending habits. “Halo Top is winning the search bar because it promises indulgence without the consequences naturally associated with that experience,” she said.

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Shelke described the ice cream’s popularity as “the GLP-1 era translated into dessert,” referring to modern consumer desires for protein-rich, portion-control, and low-sugar foods.

Maeve Webster, president of the Vermont-based consultancy Menu Matters, noted that Americans seeking guilt-free indulgence is nothing new. She compared the movement to the frozen yogurt boom decades ago but said current technology allows products like Halo Top to avoid the crystallization and poor mouthfeel that once plagued low-fat desserts.

“The technology is catching up,” said Webster. “We’ll increasingly be able to create healthier versions of indulgent products that are almost like the original experience.”

Social media visibility has amplified Halo Top’s reach, Webster added, saying people are drawn to brands they see trending online even before spotting them in stores.

The broader data underscores how deeply Americans love ice cream. A 2024 International Dairy Foods Association survey found 97% of people enjoy the dessert, with the average person eating nearly four gallons per year.

Webster said that frequency explains why consumers are motivated to find brands that help them enjoy ice cream “without that guilt and the feeling that you’re doing something wrong or bad for yourself.”

Still, Shelke cautioned against assuming “natural” or “high protein” automatically means healthy. “Safety and benefit are designed at the formulation stage, not conferred by a claim on the front of the box,” she said.

She also advised consumers to look closely at ingredients such as erythritol — a sugar alcohol found in some “light” ice creams — citing a 2023 Cleveland Clinic study in *Nature Medicine* that linked elevated blood erythritol levels to higher rates of heart attack and stroke among at-risk cardiac patients.

Shelke noted that the finding reflected associations in blood levels, not product servings, and emphasized that the study authors called for further long-term research. “Not a reason to panic,” she said. “Just a reason to pay attention.”

While the searches reveal changing attitudes toward dessert, they also highlight the balance Americans seek between indulgence and health — one that Halo Top has turned into an undeniable part of its brand identity.