Two decades later, Sharan, now 34, and her brother Nick Dhillon are the proud owners of Pravo, a home-delivery ice cream business that boasts unique flavours.
Recalling her childhood obsession with the confection, Sharan says neighbours would look on in awe as she set up tables and arranged packets of homemade ice cream for sale at 20 sen apiece.
They would grow to become her loyal customers.
“I made flavours I knew people would love – Milo, asam, grape, and lemon paired with orange cordial,” Sharan recalls, adding that she learnt how to make ice cream by watching tutorials online.
“I would save my weekly allowance to buy things like plastic moulds,” she says with a laugh, remembering how she had to beg her aunt to allow her to use her kitchen for hours on end.
The entrepreneur in Sharan flourished as she grew older and, last year, she and Nick founded Pravo, which is derived from the Punjabi “prava”, meaning “brother”.
“We wanted people to know the company is a team effort,” Sharan says in explaining the name of the brand.
She focuses on making the ice cream, while Nick, 31, is in charge of marketing.
“I always knew she had the potential to earn a side income from this,” he tells FMT. “She was always experimenting with different flavours and making me try them.”
Their bestsellers are the masala chai and red velvet cake, priced at RM6 and RM7, respectively, per cup.
Due to the pandemic, the business had to be delivery-based. “We make sure the ice cream stays cold, whether in small quantities or in bulk,” says Sharan.
To achieve this, the treats are packed in polystyrene boxes with dry ice and secured with blue and gold ribbons.
Of the masala chai, Sharan says she grew up drinking it. “And since the whole idea started from my childhood, I thought, why not bring masala chai into Pravo?”
It was a good call, as most of her customers have fallen in love with the flavour.
“Of course, red velvet is popular among youths, but if you, too, grew up drinking masala chai, you wouldn’t say no to it,” she adds.
So what makes Pravo different? Firstly, fans of red velvet cake will love the chewy chunks of chocolate-based cake in Pravo’s ice cream.
And then there’s the masala chai, which, for some, is an acquired taste.
“Masala chai ice cream is scarce among homegrown brands, and I also take special care in ensuring the quality and taste of the ice cream,” says Sharan, who personally inspects bulk orders before delivery.
“I want it to be well received, so I make sure each spice in the masala chai ice cream does not overpower the other.”
Can’t wait to dig in? Order now through Pravo’s Instagram page or send a Whatsapp message to 011-12346861.