However, many are turned off by the often-cruel practices of dairy farming, the milk of which is the base for any good ice cream. And for those who are lactose intolerant, gorging on ice cream has never been an option.
It’s not surprising that plant-based ice cream is gaining popularity – and one of them is Kind Kones, a vegan brand that contains no dairy, eggs, preservatives and artificial additives.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Ishpal and Serina S Bajaj, the husband-and-wife team and founders of Kind Kones, revealed that the business they started in their home kitchen in 2017 has grown to become a formidable name in the market.
“There has been such a huge shift in the plant-based industry, so we are able to get our hands on such amazing ingredients,” Serina, 39, said, alluding to the vegan chocolate chips and butter they use that give a richness and better texture to their product. They still make their own cashew and almond milks, however.
Additionally, customers are also becoming more conscious about the choices they make, wishing to “eat better and do better for the planet”, she said.
Expanding across the border
In 2019, they opened their first outlet and moved their central kitchen to Singapore, where the couple is now based.
Ishpal, 39, who is Singaporean, shared: “We were always looking at moving back to Singapore and since it’s working well in Malaysia, we thought, let’s launch it in Singapore as well.”
Today, they have three outlets there. The bestsellers in both countries are the almond brittle fudge and salted chocolate chip. “Black forest is also in the top five for both countries,” Serina added.
Kind Kones is also available in supermarkets, a decision they made after the pandemic forced the closure of their outlets. Ishpal pointed out that in Kuala Lumpur, they have retained the outlets in Plaza Damansara and Bangsar Village.
A key challenge when introducing their ice cream in supermarkets was ensuring its shelf life. “We spent a lot of time on research and development because we don’t add preservatives. We worked together with a food innovations company in Singapore for a year,” Serina shared.
Today, four of their flavours – salted chocolate chip, black forest, almond brittle fudge and strawberry – are available at selected outlets of Village Grocer, Ben’s Independent Grocer, and Qra.
“If you keep it in the freezer, it won’t go bad, but the texture changes or the nuts, if any, will get soggy. Optimally, you’d want to eat it within a month, but you can keep it up to three months,” Ishpal said.
A delivery option, started during the pandemic, is still available. So today, customers in the Klang Valley can place their orders via the Kind Kones website and have their ice cream sent right to their doorsteps.
FMT Lifestyle recently gave the Kind Kones experience a go and, as non-vegans, here is the verdict.
It is easy to understand why the almond brittle fudge is a favourite. Smooth and creamy, the almonds add a nice crunch. This flavour is truly decadent and yes, it tastes just as good as regular ice cream!
Customers can opt for cups or cones – wholemeal charcoal, flourless gluten-free and wholemeal waffles. All are made in-house.
Meanwhile, those on a ketogenic diet can enjoy two options: chocolate sorbet and avocado coconut. A coconut flavour will be offered in the future.
On World Ice Cream Day, Ishpal urged: “Go out there and try something different. Get out of your comfort zone and try an ice cream you’ve never tried before.”
Learn more about Kind Kones via its website, Facebook and Instagram.