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Honey Bear Natural Foods LLC
Honey Bear Ice Cream offers ultra-decadent non-dairy ice cream that’s creamier and cleaner than what’s currently on the market, they said.
With a focus on plant-based, allergy-friendly ingredients, Honey Bear helps customers responsibly indulge while recapturing the joy of childhood treats. Now in its fourth year, the company has carved out a premium spot in the frozen dessert aisle.
Founder and head chef Natalie Wallace began Honey Bear as a pandemic hobby, driven by her craving for creamier, better-tasting non-dairy, gluten-free ice cream, she said.
By May 2021, Honey Bear Ice Cream officially launched with a mission to fill a gap in the marketplace with a clean, plant-based product designed for consumers with dietary preferences and food allergies.
Operating in a dairy-heavy region brought unique challenges, especially in navigating product marketing and manufacturing regulations, Wallace said.
Building a dedicated non-dairy ice cream facility proved particularly demanding. The 15-month process faced delays for permits and variances, forcing the company to temporarily shift production to a facility an hour away just to keep products on shelves.
Key milestones include securing the first retail partnership with Lemon Street Market in Lancaster in March 2022. A year later, Honey Bear won the grand prize in the 10-week TechCelerator program with Ben Franklin Technology Partners, judged by representatives from Utz, Sheetz, Mars, and Haagen-Dazs, taking home $20,000. In July 2025, Honey Bear was among 77 Pennsylvania companies awarded an RFSI grant through the PDA and USDA.
