Protein Ice Cream's Out, Protein Ice Cream Bars Are In

The days of protein ice cream are done. Over. Finished. Fully waned. Disappeared. Evaporated. Turned into smoke. Okay, got that out of my system! The truth is that they really haven’t: Protein ice cream is still as popular as ever (with Blue Bell bringing out its own line recently), since protein as an addition to every food possible is going absolutely nowhere, even though it’s getting more expensive. But manufacturers are now thinking about their delivery style. How can we make protein ice cream…different?

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By turning it into bars. That’s exactly what Protein Pints has done.

Protein Pops

Protein Pints has just announced Protein Pops, its new line of ice cream bars. These bars come two years after the brand’s official launch of its Pints, indicating a major step forward in its product line (and a recognition that summer is well and truly ice cream bar season – anyone want a freebie?). It also indicates that Protein Pints is well aware that the “frozen novelty” category, which includes ice cream bars, is on the rise: The market share for individually portioned frozen treats is set to grow 9% by 2035, so it’s a timely move.

Anyway, let’s discuss the details. Protein Pops are available in Caramel Crunch, Vanilla Crunch, Peanut Butter Crunch and Mint Crunch, and all of them are made with natural ingredients and contain all nine essential amino acids. Each bar has 10 grams of protein per serving and at least 75% less sugar than standard ice cream. Oh, and the crunch aspect of these bars comes from quinoa, instead of the more standard rice crisps. Something a little bit different, I see…

Where Can I Find Protein Pops?

The rollout’s starting slightly smaller with these. They first dropped at ProteinPops.com, albeit in a limited quantity, and Protein Pops will launch at Sprouts Farmers Markets on June 29. They’ll then drop at Harris Teeter late next month and at other retailers in the fall. Having just checked the Protein Pops website, all the flavors are listed as being out of stock – so Sprouts might be your best bet to try them first, if you’re keen to give them a go.

Whether these will be as big a hit as Protein Pints remains to be seen, but to be honest, we can’t see why they wouldn’t be. People are obsessed with protein, they love ice cream, and they love portability (well, I think they do, anyway). Plus, the quinoa crust is a nice touch. Excited? Tentatively.