Scoop, scale, repeat

From the bustling streets of New York to the buzzing lanes of New Delhi the lively beaches of Goa and now also in Bandra lawyermodel turned entrepreneur Vasuki Punjrsquos journey is one of transformation driven by a quest to build something tangible and deliciousPunj graduated from New York University with a law degree and began her career with Human Rights Watch later working at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Her career took her deep into international arbitration dealing with maritime disputes and sovereign bilateral negotiations ldquoSounds wild but extremely boringrdquo she confesses with a laughGelato in a briocheDespite her accomplishments Punj felt a void When she relocated to India in 2016 she cofounded Rainmaker a legal compliance training solutions company which grew to include nearly 300 corporate clients ldquoWe started with training on POSH Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the workplace and developed online learning modules with real actors to make them more relatablerdquo she explains But even with Rainmakerrsquos success Punj wanted to explore something differentDuring a visit to Goa in 2019 she stumbled upon Cream Choc a humble gelateria owned by Italian chef Davide Passarella ldquoI fell in love with the product immediatelyrdquo Punj recalls adding ldquoFor the life of me I couldnrsquot understand why Davide hadnrsquot expanded in 13 yearsrdquo However her determination to scale Cream Choc clashed with Davidersquos more laidback approachldquoDavide is the opposite of memdashcompletely content with his simple life happy to run his shops in Goa and avoid the hustle of expansionrdquo Punj shares But after months of persuasion she finally convinced him to join forces under a new venture Frozen Fun The deal was that Cream Choc would stay in Goa but Passarella would come on board as the executive chef at Frozen Fun where hersquod own a small equity stakeServing gelato with a side of ambition Vasuki Punj is scooping up a new kind of gelato revolution PicsKIRTI SURVE PARADEWhat began as an experiment rapidly gained traction In just two years Frozen Fun expanded to 13 outlets with most of its stores being kiosks inside malls or near popular hangouts Even the kiosksmdashbetween 100 and 150 square feet in sizemdashwere designed to offer a compact highquality gelato experienceThe Bandra outletmdashthat opens doors on October 24mdashis a step in a new direction It has been conceptualised as a cafeacute where gelato is paired with an allday menu featuring waffles healthy bowls pizzas and moreldquoWersquore even introducing the concept of having gelato for breakfastrdquo Punj says excitedly An Italian tradition gelato is stuffed into brioche buns or served alongside waffles and pancakes a concept intended to catch on among Mumbairsquos food lovers In addition there is an allday breakfast menu healthy bowls paninis sourdough toasts pizzas pastas and sidesOne of the distinguishing features of Frozen Fun is its dedication to authenticity ldquoEverything we do we do with care and precision Our product may be made in India but its soul is Italianrdquo Punj explains The ingredients come from the best sources Sicilian pistachio Madagascar vanilla and Italian flavour bases among others The only local elements are milk and sugarrdquo she addsThe kitchens in Delhi and Mumbai are stateoftheart spotless and fully equipped with imported machinery ldquoOur gelato labs are as pristine as they comerdquo she proudly shares adding that Frozen Funrsquos commitment to hygiene and quality is one of its cornerstonesAnd while Passarella remains minimally involved his initial role was crucial in setting up the standard operating procedures ldquoDavidersquos influence is still very much alive in our kitchensrdquo Punj notes Beyond him Frozen Fun has a team of three more Italian chefs including two RampD experts constantly working on new flavours and dishes They also have an Italian consultant who visits every three months to refine their recipes and ensure everything remains true to its Italian rootsA common misconception is that Frozen Fun and Cream Choc are the same brand ldquoThey are separate entitiesrdquo Punj clarifies ldquoThe chef and recipes are the same but beyond that therersquos no overlaprdquo Passarella continues to run Cream Choc as a standalone operation in Goa while Frozen Fun is growing independently under Punjrsquos leadershipYet there remains a unique connection between the two Passarella has agreed that if he ever sells Cream Choc he will sell it only to Frozen Fun ensuring that the original gelateria remains tied to its roots in Goa and doesnrsquot compete in cities such as Delhi or Mumbai where Frozen Fun is flourishingOver the past two years the brandsrsquo growth has been fuelled mainly by wordofmouth Their strategy isnrsquot to open many outlets like fastfood chains but rather to create a premium experienceldquoAt most we envision having around 50 outletsrdquo Punj says ldquoWersquore not trying to be KFC or Dominorsquosrdquo Instead they focus on quality and positioning as a highend gelato brand known beyond India Punj aims to seeFrozen Funrsquos signature tubs on supermarket shelves across the Middle East East Asia and other parts of the world ldquoThe country doesnrsquot have a panIndian premium gelato brand yet Thatrsquos what wersquore building We want Frozen Fun to be the first to take Indianmade gelato to international marketsrdquo she saysFor Punj the journey is about more than just building a business Itrsquos a story of blending passion with purpose taking a chance on a new venture and staying true to her vision while respecting tradition ldquoThis indoItalian indulgence brand is as much about the product as it is about the experiencerdquo she reflects Bringing joy to people through food is incredibly fulfillingrdquoWith this Punj has successfully bridged the gap between the local and the global between tradition and modernity and between passion and purpose As she continues to scoop scale and repeat one thing is suremdashthis gelato revolution is just getting started