As an investment banker in Hong Kong, Jennifer Lee was no stranger to high pressure and even higher expectations.
Her schedule was gruelling, with days often stretching to 16 hours packed with back-to-back meetings and relentless deadlines.
Amid the whirlwind of corporate hustle, she was also determined to stay fit and maintain a “performance-driven lifestyle”—a goal that felt almost impossible to maintain, especially because of her snacking habits.
“Being a chronic snacker did not help. I had tried [snacks that were supposed to be better for me], including different types of protein products,” she said.
“But I did not enjoy them due to the taste, the powdery texture, and the aftertaste of some flavouring and sweeteners—that ultimately meant that I failed to stick to that habit.”
She wanted a product that was both delicious and nutritious—something she’d actually look forward to eating, not just tolerate for the sake of health.
Tired of the lack of satisfying options on the market, Jennifer decided to take matters into her own hands, by launching her own brand of low-calorie, low-sugar, and high-protein gelato: XO-ice.
Gaps in the market
Jennifer kickstarted the brand alongside Donatien Monod, a seasoned veteran in the F&B industry who had spent decades growing brands like Kronenbourg, Evian, and Bonne Maman across Asia.
Always on the lookout for the “next big thing” in food, Donatien instantly connected with Jennifer when they were introduced through a mutual friend.
In their early conversations about global food trends, one key theme kept surfacing: the growing demand for “better-for-you” snacks, including ice cream.
Intrigued by the possibilities, the duo began exploring the idea of a healthy ice cream, one with a macronutritional profile suited for modern, active lifestyles.
But they knew it had to be more than just low-calorie or high-protein—it also had to satisfy like a real, quality dessert. “That would be the key to help people be able to and want to stick to a healthier option,” said Jennifer.
Another clear gap the duo identified was the lack of Asian-inspired flavours, particularly in Southeast Asian markets like Singapore and Malaysia, where there is a “huge appetite” for “modern nostalgia”—flavours that evoke memories of childhood and cultural heritage, but with a contemporary twist.
We noticed a more limited offering of flavours that suit the Asian palate, and our preference for desserts that are not so sweet. So we wanted to add this dimension to our potential creations: Be grounded in Asian culture, and satisfy Asian taste buds.
Jennifer Lee, co-founder of XO-ice
From conceptualisation to launch
From there, Jennifer and Donatien tested their idea with industry professionals, including distributors, brand developers, and branding agencies—and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The strong response gave the duo the conviction they needed to take the leap.
While they chose not to reveal exact figures, Jennifer shared that they initially funded the venture themselves, later raising a small friends-and-family round to support its early stages. “We are talking about a couple of million USD in total,” she said.
Despite having the capital, creating XO-ice was far from straightforward.
Jennifer and Donatien initially assumed that the process would be relatively simple—after all, how hard could it be to add protein to ice cream?
However, they quickly learned that achieving a low-calorie, low-sugar, and high-protein gelato without compromising on taste and texture proved to be a “highly technical” challenge.
It wasn’t just a matter of mixing in the right ingredients; adding protein and reducing sugar, among other tweaks, fundamentally altered the product’s chemistry and structure.
“Our early testing and production runs all failed, incurring additional costs and delaying our launch,” Jennifer admitted.
After a string of failed attempts, Jennifer and Donatien spent months searching for the right partners. They eventually teamed up with a family-run gelato business in Italy and a veteran food chemist with over 50 years of experience in dairy and confectionery.
This collaboration gave them the technical expertise they needed to fine-tune the formula. Production is now based in Italy—a decision that not only ensured quality but also added a premium edge to the brand, according to Jennifer.
Hitting the shelves
All in all, XO-ice took about two years from conceptualisation to launch. Jennifer and Donatien settled on a minimum of six flavours to start with, but just as they had finalised the recipes and were preparing for packaging production, the duo found themselves at a crossroads.
The COVID-19 pandemic had just hit, and they had to make the key decision whether to go ahead with their project, or wait until the situation improves.
“Realising that there was no certainty that the world would go back to normal, we decided to push through and put our creations out,” said Jennifer.
Initially, the company planned to launch in both Singapore and Malaysia at the same time; however, import restrictions and logistical challenges forced them to scale back their ambitions and focus solely on the Malaysian market first.
Hence, XO-ice first hit the shelves in 2021 in Kuala Lumpur, launching with a single supermarket chain.
With strict COVID-19 restrictions in place, they had limited ability to run in-person tastings—something critical for a new food brand introducing a concept that challenged conventional expectations.
Many people tend to assume that a low-calorie, high-protein gelato couldn’t possibly taste as good as traditional ice cream, and that scepticism made in-person tastings essential to winning over customers.
Still, signs of traction began to emerge. “We started noticing repeat purchases, which signalled real demand,” said Jennifer.
Deepening its presence
The opportunity to expand into Singapore finally came again for the brand in 2024 when a major supermarket chain based in the city-state expressed interest in importing XO-ice as an exclusive offering, with plans to distribute the product across all its outlets.
It was a promising avenue for growth, but execution quickly became a challenge. During transit and storage, the team realised that temperature fluctuations were affecting the quality of the product—an unacceptable compromise in the eyes of Jennifer and Donatien.
Eventually, they restructured their approach. “We needed a reset, and after appointing a local distributor who had the delivery and fulfilment capabilities, and with whom we have a closer, more rapid communication channel, we relaunched, and the results were much better,” Jennifer explained.
Today, XO-ice has a presence in over 400 locations, including in Singaporean supermarket chains like Fairprice, Cold Storage, as well as Malaysia’s Village Grocer and Aeon Mall.
Looking forward, the brand aims to deepen its presence in existing markets and establish itself as a household name in Southeast Asia.
We are constantly facing the challenge of the industry being dominated by established giants, whether it be ice cream, chips, or groceries. Smaller brands like XO-ice, championing a healthier choice, regularly struggle to keep up with the marketing budgets of traditional brands, and our voices could be drowned out. But we believe firmly in our brand vision.
Jennifer Lee
“We have new flavours in development,” said Jennifer, adding that the brand continues to tweak its recipes, production processes, and ingredient sourcing to get “as close as possible” to a “perfect product.”
In the long run, she hopes to bring XO-ice to more international markets and introduce more products beyond gelato.
Featured Image Credit: XO-ice