If you ask my children they will tell you that, for me, the whole point of eating an ice-cream is the crunchy waffle cone ! I have to admit that I’m rarely adventurous when it comes to trying out new ice-cream brands or for that matter even new flavours !
If you ask my children they will tell you that, for me, the whole point of eating an ice-cream is the crunchy waffle cone ! I have to admit that I’m rarely adventurous when it comes to trying out new ice-cream brands or for that matter even new flavours !
My family on the other hand enjoy indulging in the different cold treats on offer whether it’s in the form of a popsicle, ice cream or sorbet. During one particular food conversation at home (we have lots of those) my daughter mentioned that her friend was going gaga over a “strawberry tart ice-cream” made by a new brand called Dairy house. It piqued my interest because that was the first time I had heard of a ‘strawberry tart’ flavour. She had tried it at one of the local clubs where we are members.
Upon enquiring further it was a pleasant surprise to know that not only was it made locally but that the founders of Dairy house are young entrepreneurs who were born and raised in Coimbatore. Rahul and Rohit Ramachandran are self admittedly foodies at heart. After a great deal of thought they decided to venture into making wholesome ice-creams which are made with real ingredients. Their manufacturing facility is at Vedapatti and both the brothers are very hands on with the production process and marketing strategies. Rahul takes care of the business in Coimbatore while Rohit handles the operations at Chennai.
It was interesting to hear that their soft launch was done in a manner which drew little attention and also away from the usual retail leanings. School canteens, clubs and Pazhamudhir nilayam (Govt Arts College road only) were the places where they opted to start selling from initially. This has helped them get feedback from folks of varied age groups.
After several permutations and combinations the duo have brought out flavours that appeal to their sense of taste. I must admit that the names sounded so appealing that I went and bought a few cups that very evening.
The list goes like this; French vanilla, strawberry tart, chocolate therapy, filter kaapi caramel, cotton candy, lemon ginger, banana walnut honey, sweet mango, cookies and cream. Now don’t tell me you aren’t tempted to try at least one ?!
Between five of us we tasted the filter kaapi caramel, strawberry tart, chocolate therapy, French vanilla and sweet mango. Unanimously we all commented on the satiny smooth, creamy texture of the ice-cream. The flavours stayed true to their names.I would have maybe liked the filter kappi a tad bit stronger but hey that’s just because I like my coffee strong. The strawberry tart delivered in terms of taste and texture. With eyes closed one really did get the experience of eating a strawberry tart, buttery crumb and all. The aroma of the French vanilla is wonderful as is the deep taste of chocolate and the fresh taste of mango.
I caught up with Rahul a little later to try and coax some trade secrets out of him (only joking!) But yes we did have a very detailed conversation on their vision for the brand. The unique selling point of Dairy house ice-creams is indeed their creaminess. Rahul says that they avoid the use of milk powder and stick to whole fat milk which is of very good quality. They don’t use eggs in their ice-creams and prefer to use a stabiliser which keeps the ice-cream well emulsified. There is no other preservative or artificial flavouring. Real fruit extract is used for the strawberry, lemon and mango. The filter kaapi and caramel is Rahul’s idea .It’s a combination that he personally likes and he’s happy that it’s doing well. The best seller until now is apparently the French vanilla. He says they settled on French vanilla because they were more confident of the quality and regular supply of the vanilla bean but are open to procuring it locally in the future.
The brothers seem to be having a lot more ideas for the Dairy house brand. Soon they will be re-working their packaging, adding more varieties and begin stocking in more outlets.
To be able to enjoy a well made ice-cream without having to stress about what artificial ingredients it contains is indeed a relief. Pick your favourite flavour from the Dairy house ice-creams list and give it a try. I look forward to your feedback.
Available in both cups and tubs at Pazhamudhir at Govt Arts college Road