Come noontime, when the sun is turning everyone various shades of tan and or lobster-red, most of us long for something cold and sweet.
What better way to beat the heat than ice cream?
In Malaysia, the options are rather limited; there’s the RM1 ice-cream cone at any McDonalds, tubs of Nestle or Walls in the hypermarket, maybe a few specialty dessert shops here and there, overpriced Baskin Robbins…
But with all these comes the insistent feeling of guilt for the extra calories and fats that go straight to the stomach and thighs.
It is almost impossible to find a healthy option.
What makes Kind Kones Special?
Kind Kones
That’s where Kind Kones hopes to fill the gap.
Kind Kones is the first of its kind; an all-natural, vegan ice-cream scoop store. It is different from other, more recognisable ice-cream brands in Malaysia (Inside Scoop, Kelava, etc.) because Kind Kones embraces conscious consumption a central principle.
Or as they put it, “Kindness to your body”.
Touting its dairy-free label, Kind Kones is friendly for anyone who is lactose-intolerant as all their ice creams are made from non-dairy milks.
They also have many gluten-free options for those allergic to gluten.
Not only that, Kind Kones strongly believes in using only fresh, natural products in their ice-cream. That means no preservatives, no artificial flavourings and colourings, no emulsifiers or stabilisers of any kind.
Basically anything chemical is eschewed.
The Kind Kones ice-cream options consists of standard ice-creams which are coconut- or soy-based, and premium ice-creams, which consist of an almond or cashew milk base.
Kind Kones boasts an impressive array of 40 flavours, rotated throughout the year. At any given moment, customers can choose from 12 flavours of the month, with all the classic, staple flavours and the more exciting, imaginative creations. Product testing is constantly carried out to determine customer favourites and to create new, daring flavours.
Three Must Tries at Kind Kones
Must Try #1: Almond Brittle Fudge
Almond Brittle Fudge
First up, my personal favourite, the Almond Brittle Fudge. This one is not much to look at – a plain off-white colour, but pop it is your mouth and you’ll get the most wonderful sensation. French vanilla, with bits of chia seeds and caramelised almonds to give a slight crunch; as pleasing in texture as it is in taste.
Must Try #2: Charcoal Vanilla
Charcoal Vanilla
The Charcoal Vanilla was a deep, shocking black, coloured with Japanese bamboo charcoal powder, which supposedly has some detoxing properties. Despite the colour, this one was light and sweet and pleasantly vanilla.
Must Try #3: Salted Chocolate Chip
Salted Chocolate Chip
The Salted Chocolate Chip came about in a stroke of serendipity when the chef misread the recipe and added salt to a dark chocolate recipe. A happy accident indeed, as this unusual flavour is so peculiar that it startles the senses in a strange, but good way.
Kind Kones’ New Developments
Kind Kones strives not only to be “kind” to the body, but to the environment as well.
Because dairy milk and all animal by-products are avoided, Kind Kones discourages cow breeding, which is a major factor in pollution and animal abuse. In addition, Kind Kones endeavours to minimise plastic usage by using wooden spoons and biodegradable cups.
Also, as part of the Earth Day campaign, Kind Kones has launched an entirely new flavour, Blue Planet.
An interesting concoction of French Vanilla coloured blue with butterfly peaflower with bits of green matcha cake folded in. The cake bits give this ice-cream a particularly fluffy texture, and the subtle bitter notes of matcha create a pleasant dissonance. Not quite to my taste, but interesting nonetheless.
In the interest of giving back to the community, Kind Kones has an ongoing collaboration with some of Malaysia’s most inspiring women. This campaign, “Unstoppable Women” sees Kind Kones teaming up with superstars such as Nicol David and Deborah Henry in an effort to raise funds for charity.
For this month, the flavour uniquely created in collaboration with Nicol David is the Stracciatella – an ice cream with a French vanilla base with shards of tempered chocolate folded in. Proceeds from this flavour will go to a cause that Nicol champions.
For a simple ice-cream parlour that sprang up as the result of two parents’ wish to delight their daughter, Kind Kones has achieved great strides in a very short time. By remaining true to their motto, “Be kind to your body, the environment and to others”, Kind Kones establishes a lasting legacy in its own small, simple way.
We hope you benefit greatly from this article. If you want more ideas on healthy snack offerings in KL, here are some 🙂
If you have a great tip on how to get fit and live healthy in KL, do share it in the comments below, however insignificant you think it might be.
Your tips might not even occur to others and may make a huge difference in the life of another.
So let’s cultivate that Malaysian sharing spirit and help each other out in our universal strive for personal fitness!
For more tips and tricks on how to get fit, specifically in KL, subscribe and we’ll send you useful advice, articles and videos to help you keep your fitness level up!
Welcome to this journey to better health!
