Protein Ice Cream Is This Summer’s Next Food Trend

Protein-infused ice cream is rapidly emerging as a major trend, with established and new brands like Rivo, Nymble, Blue Bell, and David Protein introducing "better-for-you" frozen desserts. These treats typically pack 10-15 grams of protein per serving, appealing to health-conscious consumers. The U.S. protein market, valued at $114.4 billion and growing, is driving this innovation. Brands are now strategically balancing high protein content with superior taste, using ingredients like EPG or French-style recipes to ensure indulgence. David Protein exemplifies this success, recently launching its frozen dessert to overwhelming demand, selling out in minutes and generating significant buzz, highlighting a strong consumer shift towards nutritious yet delicious options.

Summer’s favorite guilty treat is getting a protein glow up.

Since the beginning of the year, both established and newcomer brands have launched with protein-infused ice creams designed for the health-conscious consumer. Brands like Rivo, Nymble, Blue Bell and Canadian-brand Foothills Creamery all debuted protein-packed treats with anywhere from 11-15 grams of protein per serving. Buzzy protein brand David Protein also made a splash with its frozen dessert, which packs 10 grams of protein per serving and only 210 calories for the entire pint thanks to its signature use of an indigestible fat substitute called EPG (esterified propoxylated glycerin) and zero-calorie sweeteners.

It was only time before the protein-infused food trend made it’s way to the ice cream aisle. Protein has already made it’s way to cereal, popcorn, soda, yogurt and even Doritos and Pop Tarts as brands try to beef up their nutrition labels to stay on top of consumer demand. And consumer demand does not show any signs of a slow down. The U.S. protein market was valued at $114.4 billion as of 2024 and is projected to grow at an annual rate of 1.9% until 2028, according to Mintel. In fact, demand is now outgrowing supply. And products naturally higher in protein, such as frozen yogurt and cottage cheese, have seen a resurgence in popularity.

“Protein is here to stay; it’s not a health trend that will only last a few years. Part of it is the demographic need for protein,” said Rania Nasis, founder of Nymbl. “Because of that it's going to expand the protein category into ice cream. There will be different subcategories, including indulgent ones like ours.”

Nymbl’s origin story comes from Nasis’ educational background in medicine and experience working at healthcare startups, where she often focused on nutrition and developing more positive health habits. She understood that it is easier for people to adopt a new habit if it’s combined with something they already enjoy. She initially focused her research for Nymbl on people with protein deficiency, such as those recovering from illness or women, a demographic that historically does not consume enough protein. Nymbl is in the process of soft-launching throughout the summer, with distribution in places like Pop Up Grocer in New York City. Nasis added that the brand will begin seeking outside funding in Autumn.

The self-funded brand currently sells three flavors, vanilla, chocolate and cookies & cream, and achieves a rich flavor thanks to its French-style recipes which uses more egg yolks in its recipe, resulting in an indulgent, denser texture and a custardy taste. Flavor-first has been a predominant theme in the current protein-based or better-for-you product category.

“Historically, better-for-you has been about very few calories,” said Nasis. “Taste has not been paramount. We're seeing a shift now where taste is becoming important, and people are saying, 'I'm not willing to sacrifice taste for a better-for-you option.'”

And quality flavor is important for ice cream, because the introduction of a protein supplement can change the texture and thickness of traditional ice cream, making it more prone to crystallization and grittiness. Whey proteins can also create an unusual aftertaste. Nymble relies on milk protein concentrate and whey protein isolate in order to achieve its protein-punch, while another newcomer, Rivo, also includes milk protein concentrate but adds chicory root fiber for a probiotic benefit.

For Rivo-founder Kevin Bates, the goal was to have people think of Rivo for its flavors first, rather than its macros. Rivo launched in February 2026 with four flavors: chocolate, vanilla, mint chocolate chip, and (now best-seller) honey cinnamon. It is currently distributed nationally through Sprouts, as well as Bristol Farms and Mother’s Market & Kitchen in Southern California.

As a self-described foodie and health nut, Bates also wanted self-funded Rivo to feature traditional ingredients like cane sugar, and the brand does not use guar or xanthan gum or artificial flavors.

“We believe there’s just as big of a market for the consumer that prioritizes taste over counting macros,” he said.

It’s a similar sentiment expressed by David Protein founder and CEO Peter Rahal.

“We knew we had the best version [of frozen dessert] when people stopped talking about the macros first and started reacting to it like dessert. The goal was always for the nutrition facts to be surprising after the fact, not the reason you eat it.”

David Protein launched its latest category in early June, after several months of teasing its inevitably. First, at health product convention Expo West in March when David Protein had branded trucks driving around Anaheim, Calif. teasing frozen dessert. Separately, but notably also in March, plaintiffs voluntarily dropped a headline-grabbing lawsuit that claimed David Protein labels misrepresented calorie and fat content. David Protein said in a statement at the time that it remained “confident in the accuracy of our nutrition labeling.” The two year-old brand is currently on track for more than $300 million in 2026 sales.

That vindication led smoothly into Cannes Film Festival in May, where model Bella Hadid was spotted on a yacht with an unreleased pint of David Protein vanilla frozen dessert in hand. It was the first time David Protein had sent samples out before a product debut, said Keegan Tigges, vice president of marketing at David Protein. For the actual launch, David Protein also skipped paid influencer media, instead relying on sending a few hundred free pints.

When the frozen dessert finally launched, with flavors vanilla bean, triple chocolate, triple peanut butter and cookie dough, inventory sold out in 28 minutes despite a six-pint order minimum for $90. Simultaneously, David Protein opened a pop-up Scoop Shop in the West Village neighborhood of New York City, where over 500 people visited on its first day, and by the end of its first weekend, over 2,000 had come. On social media, the Scoop Shop generated more than 10 million impressions. The Scoop Shop recently started adding additional better-for-you brands like Poppi to the storefront for summertime treats like root beer floats. Next came a commercial featuring actress Inde Navarrette, the breakout star of indie horror film “Obsession.” In the commercial, Navarrette is alone in her apartment late at night, writing about the unsettling feeling that she is being watched. From there, the tension builds until the reveal that the thing stalking her is not a person, but a craving for David frozen dessert.

“This is a brand new product, and most people aren't familiar with protein ice cream. We're also a brand that is younger than two years old, so it's just really important to get awareness out there,” said Tigges.