You’re a vegan living in Malaysia? My first thought is that has got to be tough if you want to eat out. It’s not like there are many vegan options in Malaysia. My next thought is OH, MY GOD, what about ICE CREAM?! Malaysia is hot and humid. How do you get by without it? Enter Kelava. Like a cool superhero swooping in to save the day, Kelava is homegrown vegan ice cream made by vegans for everyone.
Kelava = Kelapa + Love
Kelava stands for kelapa (coconut in Bahasa Malaysia) and love. A perfect name since the creaminess of their ice creams are all derived from coconut. You gotta love coconut to love their ice creams for sure. On a side note, the two owners are also young newlyweds, aww.. love is all around with this brand.
For the Love of Ice Cream
Azlan Shah and Aina Mazril, the creators of Kelava, have been vegan for more than a year now. When asked why they decided to make this change in lifestyle, they said it helped them maintain clarity of mind and that it appealed to their love and compassion for all living beings. Unfortunately, here in Malaysia, we don’t have that many options for vegans.
“I love ice cream so much and there’s not much alternatives for dairy free here,” said Aina.
Work Hard and Love It
So, was it solely their love for ice cream and lack of options in Malaysia that propelled them to take the leap into this homegrown business? Azlan, a former accountant, said that he and Aina had considered several other business options before settling on ice cream. Starting out, it was important to look at the market as well as assess their own capabilities and resources.
Azlan and Aina were determined to achieve a creamy ice cream texture with zero dairy. However, Azlan admits that getting the right consistency was a struggle. It required continuous experimentation and numerous taste tests.
Can you picture the moment they got the formula just right? Happiness.
Know Every Part of Your Business
Today, after merely 3 months in full swing, Kelava is already delivering approximately 150 tubs a month. What’s the secret to their success? They looked at the market, found a gap and took a leap. Keeping costs low is important as you test and get a feel for the market. Currently, Azlan and Aina make and test the ice cream themselves; they are the marketers, the order takers as well as the delivery drivers.
There is always risk when venturing out with your own business but hard work and love for your product is essential. Love for the people you work with helps as well :).
Salted Gula Melaka or Matcha? Tough Decisions We Must Make
Kelava currently supplies six flavours. Salted Gula Melaka (love the sound of that) and Chocolate happen to be their bestsellers. Other flavours include, Strawberry Swirl, Vanilla, Cookies & Cream and Matcha. Each of their flavours have the texture of any traditional dairy ice cream but with a distinct taste of coconut shining though.
If you’re interested in trying vegan ice cream or just love anything coconut, head to their website kelava.my or Facebook page and order directly. Deliveries are available within Klang Valley. Each tub of Kelava ice cream is priced at RM28.