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When Ishpal and Serena Bajaj approached a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to open a vegan ice cream store, they were turned down.
“They laughed so hard like no one eats vegan ice cream,” Ishpal said.
“I think the general perception is based on plants [desserts] They were based on sorbets and fruit.”
But the couple is not only vegan, but “they’ve managed to whip up an ice cream that tastes as good as any ice cream,” Serena said.
We had people come and [tell us] They’ve never had ice cream because it’s dairy.
Serena Bajaj
Co-Founder, Kind Cons
When they finally find a place in another mall, Ishpal and Serena know they are on the right track.
“The support was fantastic…we used to make $8,500 to $10,000 a month,” Ishpal said.
Now the co-founders of Kind Cons are bringing it “20 times” to four stores in Malaysia and Singapore.
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Their ‘first mover advantage’
When Serena gave birth to her first child in 2017, she developed an intolerance to dairy products, which prompted her to try homemade vegan ice cream.
The biggest challenge? Knowing how to create delicious plant-based food, without compromising on taste.
Serena said: “Coconut is a big ingredient for us. But how do we mask that coconut flavor so it’s as neutral as possible?”
“It was a challenge, mostly trial and error. But now we know how,” she said without revealing the secret recipe.
Creating a vegan ice cream that tastes as good as dairy alternatives was a challenge, says Serena Bajaj. But through months of “trial and error,” she developed a secret recipe.
Wife’s cheek
While Ishpal and Serena knew their ice cream tasted good, they were worried whether a vegan dessert would appeal to the masses.
“Back then, veganism wasn’t in Malaysia… You’d probably find the odd soy-based ice cream in the supermarket,” explains Serina.
“And veganism was associated with dirt and grass-fed food … We had the idea to launch kind cones and do a little work.”
It was a “gamble” for Ishpal and Serina – who had no experience in the food industry – to put more than $140,000 into Kind Kones in the first year.
But they quickly realized they had a “first mover advantage” of plant-based ice cream made from natural ingredients.
The idea was that there should be no difference between the original ice cream and what we had. The original should be enough.
Serena Bajaj
Co-founder, Kind Cones
“We had people come and go. [tell us] “They never have ice cream because it’s dairy,” Serena said.
They also found that their delicious food not only helps those with a plant-based lifestyle, but also people with skin conditions such as eczema and allergies.
“Children [are] “It’s a big market for us… parents get their kids to eat our ice cream because it’s also for allergies,” she says.
They stuck to their guns
Serena grew up in the fashion world in Thailand before starting her own business – thanks to her family’s retail business.
Her business background may be helpful, but she found the food and beverage industry to be “brutal.”
“When you’re out shopping, you’re in a great mood. But when you’re hungry… when you pay for something, you expect it to be perfect,” she explained.
Although the couple developed recipes for ice cream that tasted as “fun” as non-vegan options, their products didn’t please every palette, Serina added.
Deg Kons now operates 4 stores across Malaysia and Singapore, with hopes of expanding to Thailand and Indonesia.
Wife’s cheek
“There are some flavors that will never be like regular ice cream… For example, our strawberry ice cream uses real strawberries and we twist it with bananas.
“It takes time to get used to it. But I think that’s what we’re about – we’re trying to offer a real taste.”
Another common complaint? The price. The couple admits that their ice cream is expensive compared to other brands.
“We have a price premium … the stuff that goes in is expensive. We make everything, our nut milks, for example, are not store bought,” Serina said.
Regarding inflation and the increase in food prices, Ishpal said they should have made “clear and incremental price increases”.
But we’ve introduced the Junior Scoop so you have an alternative. [and] It’s not too hard on the pocket.”
You should definitely grow a thick skin and know that you can’t please everyone. You have to stick to what you are good at.
Serena Bajaj
Co-founder, Kind Cones
However, the couple chose to stick to their guns when faced with the challenges they faced.
“You definitely have to grow a thick skin and realize you can’t please everyone. You have to stick to what you’re good at,” Serena said.
That approach appears to be paying off as KindCons doubles its revenue from 2020 to 2021, Ishpal said.
We are on track to double revenue again this year.
Expansion plans
With fresh funds in the bag, Kind Cons has set its sights on getting frozen meals on the shelves of supermarkets in Malaysia and Singapore.
“It will also be easily accessible to people,” Ishpal said.
The future looks bright for the couple looking to expand into other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand and Indonesia.
Demand for plant-based products is growing across Asia, according to a 2021 report from PwC, Rabobank and Temasek.
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