High-protein ice cream brand Protein Pints is rolling Protein Pops into Target stores this week and all of Kroger's Family of Stores beginning September 13, bringing its 10-gram-protein ice cream bars to more than 4,000 retail locations nationwide by mid-September. The retail push follows a June debut that saw initial online inventory sell through in under eight hours — exceeding launch projections by more than 10X.
Retail Footprint Grows
Prior to the Target and Kroger expansion, Protein Pops had been building velocity at Sprouts Farmers Market throughout the summer. The two new accounts represent a significant step-change in distribution scale and place Protein Pops alongside established functional frozen competitors in the mainstream grocery freezer aisle — a high-traffic destination that independent brands often cite as the critical proving ground for functional food and beverage growth.
Paul Reiss, co-founder and CEO of Protein Pints, said the sell-out launch confirmed consumer appetite for the format: "Bringing Protein Pops to Target and all Kroger Divisions means significantly more people can now find them during their everyday grocery run."
Product and Nutrition Profile
Protein Pops come in four varieties — Caramel Crunch, Vanilla Crunch, Peanut Butter Crunch, and Mint Crunch — each featuring a creamy high-protein ice cream core dipped in a quinoa-studded milk chocolate shell. Each bar delivers 10 grams of complete protein and 180–190 calories, with at least 75% less sugar than traditional ice cream and no artificial sweeteners. The bars are gluten-free and contain all nine essential amino acids.
For foodservice and retail operators tracking the better-for-you frozen dessert segment, Protein Pops represent the broader consumer pivot toward functional indulgence — products that satisfy a treat occasion while meeting protein or macro targets. That positioning has accelerated demand across grocery, convenience, and specialty retail channels, making mainstream placement at Kroger and Target a meaningful signal for where the category is heading. Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked similar momentum among protein-forward snack brands crossing over from DTC into brick-and-mortar at scale.
With pint products already carrying 30 grams of protein per container, the brand has built its identity squarely around nutrition-forward formulation without sacrificing sensory appeal — a balance that has historically been difficult in the frozen novelty space. The success of the Protein Pops format as a line extension suggests the brand has found a second consumer entry point that complements its core SKU rather than cannibalizing it. Operators and buyers in the frozen and specialty beverage retail space will want to watch velocity data from these accounts as a gauge of the format's staying power beyond a novelty launch bump.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
