Ketogenic indulgence: Duncan Hines and Halo Top bring new desserts to market

24 Jan 2020 --- US-based Duncan Hines and Halo Top have each launched ranges of ketogenic-friendly desserts, in response to the growing interest in the keto diet. Duncan Hines, a brand of Conagra Brands, unveiled its collection of low-carb cake cups. Meanwhile, Halo Top launched its frozen treats in seven flavors. The launches come at a time when the keto diet, an eating regiment based on the premise of the body entering ketosis, is driving NPD across several food & beverage categories, including indulgence.

“People following a keto-friendly diet still want to enjoy delicious sweet treats, and we’re excited to provide them with satisfying new options,” says Audrey Ingersoll, Senior Director of Duncan Hines.

The proliferation of keto-centric products is good news for those on the diet with a sweet tooth. Recent studies have shown the keto diet may help control blood sugar and even reverse Type 2 diabetes, among other health claims.

Sweet indulgence
Duncan Hines keto-friendly cake cups are an addition to the brands already existing line of single-serve cake cups available in a variety of flavors. The cups are prepared with the addition of water and melted butter, or alternative more keto-friendly fats like avocado oil or coconut oil, and then microwaved for one minute.

The format makes it easy for consumers to take a moment for sweet indulgence, a trend that is particularly pronounced among Generation X consumers, according to Innova Market Insights.

Halo Top frozen treats come seven different keto-friendly flavors.  The cups come in Birthday Cake, Double Chocolate Cake and Walnut Brownie varieties and tout only five net carbs with no added sugar. However, the company acknowledges that the product cannot be considered as a low-calorie snack.

The cake cups are formulated with a number of sugar reduction techniques to turn the cake keto-friendly. For example, the Birthday Cake cup contains 33 g of total carbohydrates, but only 5 g net carbs. It is composed of 5 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar alcohol and 21 g allulose.

Ice cold keto
Meanwhile, Halo Top has launched its Keto Series with seven indulgent flavors of “frozen treats” including Peanut Butter Chocolate, Jelly Donut, and Caramel Butter Pecan.

The Keto Series boasts reduced calories in its formulation with the aid of ultra-filtered skim milk, which provides fewer calories than regular milk with more protein. Net carbs range from 5 to 10 g, while calories range from 410 to 630 per US pint. The Keto Series is the latest in Halo Top’s collection of 40 flavors of frozen treats, including dairy and non-dairy products.

Keto NPD
While “keto” is still a relatively niche market, NPD with a keto claim is showing strong growth. Global launches of products with a keto claim skyrocketed from 0.01 percent in 2017 to 0.08 percent in 2018, reports Innova Market Insights.

While launches were the most prominent in the Sports Nutrition category, the Snacking segment is also proving to be an area of growth.

Last year, Keto and Co. released an RTD shake called Sated, targeting keto-adhering consumers leading busy lifestyles. Bellway recently introduced a keto-approved, soluble dietary fiber which can be made into a fruity beverage. Meanwhile, the Canadian pizza chain Pizza Pizza has unveiled its keto-friendly, low-carb pizza crust. 

By Missy Green