The ice cream brand was founded around 2011 by former attorney Justin Woolverton of Latham & Watkins LLP.

[5] Woolverton had begun making ice cream in his own kitchen with the goal of reducing his consumption of carbohydrates and refined sugars.

[5] In the early stages of Halo Top, Woolverton continuously experimented, tweaking and improving the ingredients for over a year.

"[7] Halo Top launched in Los Angeles on June 15, 2012, and annual sales grew up around 2,500% during 2016 and continued to increase in 2017, despite a retail price of $5 per pint.

[8] In July 2017, Halo Top became the best-selling ice cream pint at grocery stores in the United States, surpassing in popularity the Ben & Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs brands, which previously held that distinction for years.

[16] It has spent the ensuing years reformulating the low-calorie line, beginning with replacing spray-dried ultrafiltered milk proteins with liquid ultrafiltered milk, which is more expensive but which reduced what many consumers found to be the product's excessive density, improved the texture, and allowed it to mix more smoothly with the other ingredients, leading to a mouthfeel that is even closer to regular full-fat, full-sugar ice cream.

[24] In 2018, Halo Top opened three "Scoop Shop" locations in Los Angeles, CA in Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; at The Grove; and in Century City.