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If you're looking for the best bang for your buck at Inside Scoop, consider the Vanilla Bean ice cream.
That's because its co-founder has revealed that the flavour is actually one of the most expensive to produce on the menu.
Speaking on the Behind The Biz podcast last month, Inside Scoop co-founder Edmund Tan said that public perception of vanilla does not reflect the true quality of its Vanilla Bean ice cream.
He explained that Inside Scoop has a strict rule against using artificial flavourings or colours, including for its prized vanilla.
"Actually, vanilla is one of our most expensive flavours.
"1kg of vanilla costs like RM1,700, RM1,800, or maybe RM2,000 now. We use real [vanilla] pods. We don't use artificial flavorings," Tan said.
When podcast co-host Chak asked whether the Vanilla Bean is considered a premium flavour, typically priced a few ringgit more per scoop, Tan said it is not.
"It's not a premium, because it cannot be a premium. That's why they call it 'plain vanilla'," the co-founder said candidly.
Inside Scoop co-founder Edmund Tan.
Image via EquitiesTracker (YouTube)Chak then asked whether Inside Scoop prices its ice cream based on demand, to which Tan replied that this is only partly true
He explained that the company does not place heavy emphasis on its pricing model, as decisions mainly come down to "scrutinising those few percentage points".
When pressed further, Tan added that premium flavours are not always the most expensive to produce.
Returning to his example, he said the general public is more familiar with the taste of vanillin, a chemical compound responsible for the creamy scent and taste of vanilla.
"When we use real [vanilla] pods, people go like, 'Hey this is fake vanilla'.
"We actually get that because people are used to vanillin," he explained.
Tan cited the strawberry flavour as another example, explaining that the fruit's natural taste is milder than many people expect
He said most people are accustomed to the artificial version, particularly in strawberry milk.
As a result, some customers have even assumed that Inside Scoop uses "fake" flavouring for its strawberry ice cream, which, he stressed, is far from the truth.
"So when we make a strawberry flavour, we have a very hardline [rule]: no [artificial] flavourings, no colours," he said.
From durian to pandan, Tan emphasised that Inside Scoop uses real ingredients for all its ice cream flavours, never relying on artificial essences to fast-track the process.
You can watch a short clip from the podcast here:
