Pune Inc: This ice cream man from Pune shops around world to create delicious flavours

An additional challenge for artisanal players, such as Bhagwat, is that a city, such as Mumbai, is not only large but also has varied taste profiles. Bhagwat has already experienced how Kandivali and Borivali, with sizeable Gujarati communities, give high orders of Royal Rose or Kesar-Pista, while south Mumbai would opt for flavours like Italian Espresso.

Eatally, co-founded with Harshada Bhagwat, entered a market that seemed saturated with ice cream from commercial brands, including foreign players, local shops and home cooks. (Express Photo)

The chef, displaying the same stubbornness that had made him turn his back on the family profession as a young man, took the difficult road by starting Eatally with the promise to use pure ingredients that were sourced from across the world and came at a price. The chocolate is from a company in Denmark and the concentrated fruit oils from Germany cost between Rs 9,000 and Rs 14,000 for 500 ml depending on the fruit.

But, Eatally is set apart by the chef’s own touch. Bhagwat, who spent his time in Europe knocking on the doors of famous hospitality establishments and got to work at culinary genius Marco Pierre White’s flagship Mirabelle and Gordon Ramsay’s fine-diner Petrus, both in London, among others, brings a unique style to Eatally’s ice creams.

But, Eatally is set apart by the chef’s own touch. Bhagwat, who spent his time in Europe knocking on the doors of famous hospitality establishments and got to work at culinary genius Marco Pierre White’s flagship Mirabelle and Gordon Ramsay’s fine-diner Petrus. (Express Photo)

“I wanted to give people something different but not too different where they are put off. We have a flavour called Chocolate Orange. Apart from adding chocolate and orange, we make candied orange zest and put that into the ice cream, which takes it to another level,” says Bhagwat.

He is animated when discussing flavours, especially why Eatally will not sell vanilla ice cream with crispy bacon any time soon. “I had tried it in London and it tasted fantastic but for our society and Indian culture, it would have been crazy stuff and we don’t do crazy stuff,” he adds.

Instead, there are heartfelt varieties, such as Royal Alphonso Mango, which uses the best fruit sourced from the farms of Konkan, where Bhagwat spent his childhood, sprinkled with saffron, and Cranberry-Litchi, which includes the company’s own cranberry compote. “Half our sales are from repeat customers. Even in consumer numbers, we were serving 100-150 per month when we started in 2019 and, today, we have more than 2,500 per month,” says Bhagwat.

There are heartfelt varieties, such as Royal Alphonso Mango, which uses the best fruit sourced from the farms of Konkan, where Bhagwat spent his childhood, sprinkled with saffron, and Cranberry-Litchi, which includes the company’s own cranberry compote. (Express Photo)

Eatally, which started in December 2019, was plummeted by the pandemic and found an angel investor two years back.

Initially housed at Wai MIDC, Eatally shifted its manufacturing to Sinhagad Road in Pune after receiving the funding. After delivering only to Pune, the company arrived in Mumbai last year and liked the response. “We aim to become India’s first mass produced premium ice cream brand,” smiles Bhagwat.