Well Developed

Dairy Field, Jul 2004 by Dudlicek, James

This past May, Good Humor-Breyers announced the launch of the first zero net-carb ice cream and frozen novelties under the company's CarbSmart banner. With 20 calories each, CarbSmart Creamsicle bars - sweetened with Splenda and other sweeteners - come in variety packs of orange and mixed berry varieties.

Fat-free fruit bars head up the rest of the company's new better-for-you releases, along with a variety pack of vanilla and mint-flavored sandwiches from its Klondike Slim-A-Bear line. Popsicle Healthy Bunch will bring sugar-free versions of popular Popsicle, Creamsicle and Fudgsicle treats. Further, the Klondike CarbSmart line will expand with a low-carb ice cream sandwich.

Le Mars, Iowa-based Wells' Dairy Inc. continues to expand the novelty offerings sold under its popular Blue Bunny brand name. While continuing to offer premium ice cream bars, sandwiches and ice pops, Wells has been building an extensive network of better-for-you line extensions.

The newest line, Carb Freedom, includes a selection of packaged frozen dairy dessert in various flavors and stick novelties in vanilla, fudge and almond varieties, along with fruit juice bars in grape, raspberry and strawberry varieties.

But one of Wells' newest novelties makes its home in the Sweet Freedom line of no-sugar added bars, cones, pops and sandwiches.

At 100 calories per serving, the new Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom White Chocolate Almond Lites contain creamy light vanilla ice cream on the inside and white-chocolate confection and diced almonds on the outside.

Rounding out Blue Bunny's better-for-you novelty offerings is the Health Smart line of fat-free, no-sugar-added stick novelties.

CoolBrands International Inc., Ronkonkoma, N.Y, maker of better-for-you novelties like Atkins Endulge low-carb bars and Weight Watchers Smart Ones reduced fat sandwiches and sundae cones, continues to make strides in the novelty arena.

This year, CoolBrands introduced new selections for one of America's most well-known brands, Eskimo Pie. Part of the line of extruded stick novelties are No Sugar Added Cookies 'n Cream Bars, with reduced-fat vanilla ice cream coated with chocolate cookie crunchies; No Sugar Added Vanilla Milk Chocolate Crisp Rice Bars; and No Sugar Added Vanilla Dark Chocolate Bars, featuring reduced-fat vanilla and dark chocolate ice creams.

Indulgence and Fun

But amid the quest for better health, those seeking indulgence won't be forgotten. Häagen-Dazs, a name that has become synonymous with rich, indulgent varieties of ice cream, offers its new Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Bar - cheesecake ice cream with a sweet strawberry swirl, dipped into a milk chocolate coating with pieces of crunchy graham crust.

Good Humor-Breyers has brought out its new Klondike Almond Bar with Hershey's Coating, which offers the taste of a Hershey's chocolate bar with almonds to vanilla ice cream. Another Klondike sandwich will come topped with Mini-Reese's Pieces peanut butter candies.

CoolBrands rounds out its premium line of Eskimo Pie extruded bars with Strawberry Shortcake Bars, Chocolate Eclair Bars, Toasted Almond Bars and Vanilla Milk Chocolate Bars.