From 'Baby' to biggie: How Bangladesh's ice cream industry ballooned

Throughout history, notable figures from various cultures have displayed a fondness for frozen treats. While Alexander the Great had a preference for honeydew ice cream, King Solomon, in the Bible was known to enjoy iced water, and the Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar indulged in a practice of gathering mountain snow to spread on fruit.

Fast forward to more recent history, after his return from China to Italy, Marco Polo mentioned a dish similar to sherbet, and in the 17th century, King Charles I of England regularly included ice cream on his dining table.

The first known advertisement for ice cream in America appeared in the New York Gazette in 1777. In the summer of 1790, US President George Washington spent nearly $200 on ice cream. Before the 19th century, ice cream was a luxury reserved for the elite in America and was not readily accessible to the common people.

However, Dhaka-based historian Hashem Sufi points out that the Mughals were instrumental in introducing ice cream, particularly Kulfi, to the world. It remains highly popular in India today and has an equal level of acceptance in our country. 

Kulfi was crafted in Emperor Akbar's royal kitchen in rectangular metal moulds. It was a favourite among the elite. Additionally, when frozen, it could be turned into a dessert known as Tutti Frutti by adding Faluda.

Photo: Noor A Alam

Notably, in Dhaka, after the partition, there was a development in the ice cream industry. Filmmaker Zaheer Raihan produced Pakistan's first colour film, Sangam, featuring Harun as the hero. Harun's father, an industrialist, established the Baby Ice Cream Factory in the 1950s, located in Azimpur. 

Baby Ice Cream was among the first in Dhaka to introduce attractive packaging for ice cream in various shapes such as angular, square or round. "Initially, they sold ice cream in the local neighbourhoods and near school gates through street vendors. At that time, ice cream was stored in portable foam-lined wooden boxes, keeping it frozen for most of the day but melting by the afternoon," explains Sufi.  

Haroons, the owners of Baby Ice Cream, were often mistaken for being from Bihar or Agakhanis, but they were actually Pathans. It was a common misconception to assume that non-Bengalis were Biharis, but in reality, many came from Gujarat, Mumbai and Rajasthan. In East Pakistan, ice cream businesses were mainly run by people from the Agakhani, Gujarati or Mumbai communities.

As for whether there was ice cream in Dhaka before Baby Ice Cream, Sufi affirms that there were indeed a few ice cream shops in a couple of neighbourhoods. "They primarily sold saccharine-laced ice cream, which came in yellow, red or green colours. Then came Malai, made by mixing milk with water and sugar," he says. 

However, parents often discouraged their children from consuming neighbourhood-made ice cream because clean water was not readily available for its preparation, leading to concerns about stomach upsets.

This is likely why affluent families would prepare ice cream at home. Wealthy households often possessed rectangular boxes for this purpose. They would crush ice by turning a handle, then mix it with milk and sugar to create ice cream.

Photo: Noor A Alam

Sufi mentions that ice cream factories were established in India during the British East India Company era. This provided employment opportunities for Christian converts, who would ferry ice creams on the streets. Anglo-Indians also made cakes and ice creams at home, which were then transported and sold by locals. It's not difficult to imagine that mass production was challenging during those times.

Sufi also discusses, at length, another type of ice cream known as "Pankha ice cream." In the making of this ice cream, ice was placed into a leather bag and crushed with a wooden stick. Various shapes like fans, umbrellas and more were poured into moulds, resulting in ice cream with distinctive designs. It was particularly popular among schoolchildren due to its unique appearance, and all of them came on sticks, not in cups or other containers.

The first organised ice cream shop in Dhaka was established in Gulistan by the Baby Ice Cream Company in the late 1950s or early 1960s. In 1950, the government acquired the Gulistan area, and plans were made for cinema halls, markets and more. In 1954, Gulistan began to take shape, and the Baby Ice Cream parlour undoubtedly added to its appeal. Ice cream was also available in the Gulistan Cinema Complex along with coffee.

Additionally, there was a well-known ice cream shop called "Novel" in the southeast corner of New Market, possibly introduced in the mid-1960s. It was popular among ice cream enthusiasts and served as a recreational spot for upper-middle-class families. During that era, New Market was considered an upscale and fashionable area.

Sufi also recalls the experience he gained in Chattogram. He visited the port city in 1963, as his uncle worked at the Chattogram Port. During his morning walks, he explored various areas like New Market and DC Hill.

One day, while on Station Road, he came across an attractive glass-enclosed ice cream shop. The delightful images of ice cream displayed on the walls drew him in like a magnet. In a somewhat dazed state, he entered the shop. It had a few oak chairs surrounding marble tables with seating for a total of 12 people. 

The charm of the clean place was irresistible. He found himself repeatedly drawn to the tutti-frutti ice cream. He knew it was priced at three and a half taka, but in that era, one could purchase a kilogram of beef for one and a half taka. He had five rupees in his pocket and savoured the tutti-frutti with immense pleasure.

As for the name of the shop, Sufi can no longer recall it. However, the shop's appearance still vividly lingers in his memory. He speculates that it might have been owned by Memon or Bohri individuals. 

The Memons, a Muslim community with origins in Gujarat, India, have different subgroups based on regions, such as Kuchi Memons from the Kutch region and Kathiawari Memons from Kathiawar. There are still Memon settlements in Chittagong. Similarly, the Bohras, with roots in Gujarat, include both Sunni and Shia Daudi Bohras, and they share cultural similarities. A few Bohras still reside in Chittagong.

Shifting the focus to the domestic ice cream market, it has been growing at a rate of 12-15% annually in Bangladesh since 2010. While there was a temporary setback due to the coronavirus pandemic, the market quickly rebounded. 

Factors such as climate change, longer summers, a growing middle class, evolving tastes of the new generation, and urban expansion contribute to this growth.

The ice cream market in Bangladesh is now worth more than Tk 2000 crore with 97% of it dominated by branded companies. The remaining portion is occupied by locally made ice cream. 

Among these brands, three major players capture 75% of the market. Prominent ice cream brands in the country include Igloo, Polar, Quality, Bellissimo, Savoy, Bloop, Lovello,  Za 'n Zee, and Mi Amore.

Since Baby Ice Cream is no longer in production, Igloo holds the distinction of being the oldest ice cream brand in the country. In 1964, K Rahman & Co. began producing ice cream on a small scale at the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Chittagong. In the same year, they established an ice cream parlour in Dhaka. 

Following the country's independence, this institution was nationalised but was later acquired by Abdul Monem Limited in 1983, in accordance with the government's foreignization policy. According to a report published by The Business Standard on 19 May 2022, Igloo owns 43%, Polar 21%, Quality 13%, Bloop 8%, Bellissimo and Za 'n Zee together 7%, Lovello 5% of the domestic ice cream market in the country.

Igloo's product lineup includes a diverse range of ice creams such as Mega, Macho, Lolly, Shell and Core, etc – available in various forms including cups, sticks, cones or tubs. Igloo maintains an extensive distribution network covering almost all districts and upazilas. The company consistently introduces new ice cream flavours with at least two new offerings each year.

Igloo primarily targets the upper and middle classes. For example, Igloo Vinetta caters to the upper class while products like Snow Ball and Mango Magic are marketed to children with attractive packaging. 

Igloo also offers cartoon-themed ice cream for kids. In addition to Macho and Mega for the youth, the company has heart-shaped Sweet Heart ice cream, which can be a special gift for loved ones. They also provide Diabetic Vanilla for those with dietary restrictions. 

For chocolate enthusiasts, Igloo offers Ego, Igloo sandwiches, and more. In retail grocery stores, Igloo provides freezers for storing and displaying their products. Furthermore, hundreds of Igloo trolleys can be found across the country, primarily in schools, colleges, parks and recreational centres.

The dependence on foreign ice cream brands like Baskin Robbins or Movenpick is decreasing due to the accelerated production of high-quality ice cream in the country. 

However, raw materials such as milk fat still need to be imported from countries like Australia, New Zealand or Denmark. There is an anticipation that these raw materials will be domestically produced in the near future.