Lab Made — Sparking New Ideas in New Places
Local ingredients mixed with liquid nitrogen, ignite creative new recipes
During his stay in Britain, Ronnie discovered a shop selling ice cream made using liquid nitrogen, which ignited his will to set up his own business and introduce this new form of dessert to Hong Kong. Ronnie is determined to bring unimaginable surprises and unique twists to the old product of ice cream, attracting customers to re-visit his stores every two weeks and taste the limitless creativity of his team.
I don’t want everyone to be doing the same, mindless routine kind of thing.
Ronnie used to live overseas. While it was always his plan to run a business in Hong Kong, he was short of an idea about what to do—until he discovered a shop in Britain that made ice cream using liquid nitrogen. He soon had his entrepreneurial ambition ignited. “The first time I saw this kind of ice cream, I found it funny, beautiful and tasty. I learned that it was not yet available in Hong Kong and felt that the business could be run there.”
When we were considering the business, we first and foremost analysed the fact that this product wasn’t yet available in Hong Kong. The one who first develops this product in Hong Kong could achieve great success.
The process consists of mixing the ice cream, adding the ingredients and using liquid nitrogen to speed up the formation of the ice cream. Not only is liquid nitrogen ice cream creamier in texture, its unique way of production also allows Ronnie to come up with recipes that are impossible to make with traditional ice cream. The creative team mixed Hong Kong cuisines with western technology and delivered over 100 flavours, including black glutinous rice sweet soup and custard bun—a total disregard for the decades-old routine of simply chocolate and fruity recipes. It immediately won recognition.
We have been eating ice cream for so many years and creativity lot of us want more creative flavours for it. Liquid nitrogen helps bring a new identity to ice cream, which is such a traditional product.
Ronnie’s shop, although successful, insists on offering only four flavours every day. Not only does this practice ensure high-quality, MSG-free production—it’s also a psychological battle with the customers. “We change flavours every two weeks. In the end, our modus operandi keeps the customers coming back to try our new flavours. This little insight is key to a creative business like Lab Made.”
Although we’re doing ice cream, our approach is very different from that of traditional ice cream companies.
Ronnie’s favourite flavour is the crispy-toast-with-condensed-milk-and-peanut-butter ice cream. His spark that shines deep down his heart has more to offer. “When I set up the business, I saw that Hong Kong’s business pattern didn’t have much diversity. Businesses here are more or less the same; made out of a mould. I’ve always dreamed of running a company or business that produces a lot of creative products. I hope my story lets the people of Hong Kong know that a business—or profit-making itself—has room for creativity. You put in a different formula, and it still works.”
My dream is that my business or enterprise allows a lot of creativity.
