Wells, described as the largest privately held, family-owned ice cream manufacturer in the USA, has announced it has acquired the Halo Top brand from Eden Creamery.
The purchase expands Wells’ current portfolio to five distinct brands, the company said.
Advertised as “light ice cream that actually tastes like ice cream” and as having fewer calories, less sugar, and more protein than traditional ice cream, Halo Top range is touted as having created “an entirely new category in ice cream”. The product range currently comprises 24 flavours, as well as snacking product Halo Top Pops.
Commenting on the acquisition, Wells CEO and president, Mike Wells said: “Halo Top disrupted the ice cream category by providing a high protein, low sugar, low calorie dessert that gave consumers a reason to purchase ice cream as a treat again. Halo Top met a consumer need that no one else in the category was serving. We feel it is a good fit for the Wells portfolio as we look to broaden our offerings for consumers”.
In a separate announcement, Wells also said it had signed a purchase agreement with Unilever for its ice cream manufacturing plant located in Henderson, NV, with the aim of expanding its manufacturing capacity.
Financial terms of the two deals were not disclosed.
Source: Wells / Eden Creamery