- Pun’s Ice Cream is located at a home in Bangsar, where they serve ice cream ala supper club style.
- Pun’s Ice Cream has many interesting flavours, Better than Smoking (Smoked Vanilla), Too Choco-Latte to vegan 3.0 (vegan Chocolate) and Eh! MATCHA! (Matcha green tea).
Who doesn’t love some ice cream during a hot sunny day, especially with our weather in Malaysia?
With ice cream available literally every corner of the street, from the pak cik that sells Mat Kool on his motorbike to the petrol stations selling ice cream in the freezers, the possibilities are endless.
However, would you think of buying ice cream from a stranger’s house?
Well, welcome to Pun’s Ice Cream where supper club meets ice cream parlour. Located at Bangsar, co-founder Euwie’s home serves as the location.
Euwie has set up a “supper club” but for ice cream desserts, rather than the usual meals. Thus Pun’s Ice Cream was established on June 28.
“It’s when we officially started marketing it to the general public,” said Euwie.
Home Is Where The Heart Is
“We actually started with a catering brand called The Gathering, where we brought fine dining into the comfort of people’s homes, that’s where we started doing ice cream for our plated desserts,” said Euwie.
However his love for ice cream has always been something and was a secret passion. “We actually didn’t intend to make it so people can come over to taste and eat ice cream, it sort of happened, but I love it!”
“It really relaxes people, we like to treat our guests like their our friends or family, [it] really takes the stress out of working from home and lets us get to know everyone personally,” he added.
Inviting customers over to his home makes the whole experience more different as it becomes more personal and casual.
There are 4 co-founders that run Pun’s Ice Cream, Euwie who has worked in fine dining restaurants around the world since 17; Elaine, his girlfriend; Jason, his best friend who is a full-time architect; and lastly Nancy, his mother.
“We have a few other investors that we are very close to like Nancy, Sarah, Ai San and Vanessa who have contributed greatly to our growth and development,” he said.
“But one thing we all have in common is our undying love for good ice cream.”
What’s The Scoop?
Although ice cream is delicious to eat, we don’t actually see the hard work that people put in behind the scenes to make it. Pun’s Ice Cream has a more dynamic process in making their ice cream compared to the traditional method of ice cream making.
“We have at least 5 to 8 different ice cream bases for different flavours, and for our basic ice cream bases we start 5 days before we churn. This involves mostly waiting, but it all starts with good quality milk and cream that we later add a bunch of dried ingredients, like sugar, milk powders, etc and let it cure in the fridge for at least 3 to 5 days, again varying from what kind of ice cream we make,” said Euwie.
The best part of their ice cream are the punny names that give you hints to their flavours. Of course, some are a bit more cryptic, like Rich a$ Hell, Waffles Tan and Moon Walk.
Euwie personally draws inspiration for names of ice cream from the people he has met. “Waffles Tan is the name of my dog that I grew up with, and we loved the idea of making ice cream that makes you think, and is extremely addictive,” he said.
“So before we decide on a flavour we actually look back on things that can sort of bring back a sense of nostalgia. Like S’mores is inspired by one of my mentors Matt Orlando, during my time in Denmark, it was the first time I’d ever tasted a s’more, and I wanted to bring that very fond memory back.”
Bitter And Sweet Flavours
Although things are running smoothly now, Euwie and his team had a hard time in the beginning running the business. “We’re really really lucky to be surrounded by a lot of support and amazing people, so running the business has been relatively smooth,” he said.
“But if I had to mention one thing it would be that at the beginning it was mostly myself and Elaine doing the bulk of the production, me making the ice cream and Elaine packaging and taking orders, we were very disorganised and always in the sh*t.”
“But thanks to that we learnt how to be more organised and more determined to make it work to our benefit and of course of followers,” Euwie added.
When asked about how Pun’s Ice Cream will differentiate themselves from other ice cream brands, Euwie explained that although there are a lot of ice cream places popping up in Malaysia, he doesn’t see them as competitors.
“Ice cream is something everyone should enjoy, everyone has a preference.”
“I believe that it’s not the ice cream that defines us but the concept. And hopefully our concept is something no one can replicate,” he said.
Euwie finds inspiration to keep pushing forward from the praise and love they get from family, friends and customers.
“It’s the joy we get to spread around, and having fun with our friends. Like the other night before we had to send over 600 small tubs of ice cream, a couple of my best mates popped over to help us pack, label and store ice cream. It’s that kind of love that makes all of this worthwhile,” he added.
With Ice Cream Anything Is Popsicle
Currently Pun’s Ice Cream is moving to another location in Seputeh. Which they have predictably called it Pun-try, (get it?).
“It’s where we will be doing the bulk of our production. It’ll also double as a mini outdoor café that will overlook the entire production facility. But we are planning to open a parlour sometime in the first half of next year”
While reflecting back on the journey so far, Euwie said, “It really has been a stressful and tiring journey so far, but it’s all worth it knowing that at the end of the day we all get to do what we love. And I really hope that there are more people here at home in Malaysia that would brave it out and do what they love if given the chance. ”
- If you would like to get a scoop of Pun’s Ice Cream or find out what flavours they have, check out their Instagram here.
Feature Image Credit: Pun’s Ice Cream
