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sometimes it is a flavor that has been seen before, they will
add a twist for their own version. The shop tries to make at
least 12 new flavors a year and so far they have over 180
flavors on their menu.
To bring innovation to another level, Tom’s Palette also
adjusts new flavors based on customers’ feedback or even
provides certain ice cream flavors upon customers’ requests.
This customer-oriented approach is also one of the secrets
to their success.
Clear and Consistent Branding

“A brand is a voice and a product is a souvenir,” as the
American entrepreneur, and bestselling author Lisa Gansky
once said. Good branding will not only bring more consumers
and make them loyal to your products, but also help the com-
pany to stay focused. It is important to all businesses, includ-
ing artisan ice cream.
Being featured by over 50 well-known magazines and
newspapers, and having nearly 10,000 followers on Instagram,
Carmela Ice Cream is among those successful artisan ice cream
brands who have done a great job on branding. To begin with,
Carmela Ice Cream has a clear brand concept: Simplicity is at
Photo /Tom’s Palette
its core. And that message is consistently present through all
aspects of branding from their visual image to their retail
activities. For example, to emphasize their “handmade ‘farm
to table’ ice cream with fresh, seasonal ingredients”, fruits and
vegetables are aesthetically presented on the matching flavor
photos on their website and Instagram.
Mortarotti also hired her childhood friend Ty Mattson,
Quality and Flavors Tom’s Palette, one of the oldest ice cream parlors in Singa- they always have some unique flavors with regional marks. an award-winning graphic designer to help with their brand
pore, established in 2005. Chronos Chan, co-founder of
For example, as a homegrown brand, Tom’s Palette has put image. From the font of the logo to the color palette of the
Of course, an ice cream shop or brand won’t succeed if Tom’s Palette said: “We firmly believe in using only natural local cuisines and ingredients into their ice creams. Their website, freshness stands out vividly from the screen just like
the ice cream itself isn’t good enough! The quality of the ice ingredients and making as much as we possibly can in-house, Salted Egg Yolk ice cream is inspired by a well-celebrated their ice creams. “When we hired Ty Mattson, we put so much
cream is essential. For artisan ice cream, only fresh, natural and don’t shy away from using high-quality ingredients in Cantonese dim sum, Liu Sha Bao, a kind of steamed bun with thought into just that. We wanted to make sure the feeling of
ingredients are allowed, while coloring or stabilizer are banned. our day-to-day operations.” To give their customers ice a runny custard filling. The shop also did a take of the local the branding matched both the product itself as well as the
Mortarotti told CTI: “We like to think of our ice cream as a cream of the highest quality, for example, once a year during dish, ‘Nasi Lemak’. They created a coconut & glutinous rice values we have as a brand,” Mortarotti explained.
‘blank canvas’ where we can profile seasonal, fresh ingredients. its anniversary, the team deseeds fresh durian by hand and ice cream infused with curry leaves, chilli flakes, dried an- Back to real life, as part of the branding, Carmela Ice
We only make flavors that are found locally in our region of churns the custard late into the night to make its Fresh Mao chovies, and peanuts. Cream also maintains its presence at the local farmers’ markets,
Southern California, except for chocolate and vanilla — because Shan Wang ice cream. “They help draw curious customers to our shop, or make even though Mortarotti already has her own bricks-and-mor-
all ice cream shops need those flavors!” If quality is the core of artisan ice cream, flavor is the an impression on those that are just passing by,” said Chan. tar shops and does catering. For her, the farmers’ market is
The pursuit of quality is practiced by another success- soul, and a crucial component for an artisan ice cream brand Tom’s Palette has put much effort into developing unique not only the place where the business started but also “the
ful artisan ice cream shop on the other end of the planet — to survive and thrive. For many artisan ice cream shops, flavors with a focus on local and Asian flavors. Even though heart and soul of the farm to table nature of their business.”

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