This D2C brand Bringing Premium Yet Affordable Ice Cream to India
When Tanvi Chowdhri left her high-paying job on Wall Street, many people around her were surprised. Holding a mechanical engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University, she followed a conventional path of stability. But her true passion lies in Food. Growing up, she saw her family loved food; travel and trying different cuisines made her passion emotionally personal. Also, Tanvi developed a deep appreciation for flavour, culture, and experience.
Living in New York exposed her to world-class restaurants and innovative dessert concepts. She started a food blog and spent weekends exploring the city’s culinary scene. When she returned to India, she noticed a clear gap in the ice cream market. Legacy brands offered traditional flavours at mass-market prices, while premium options were mostly expensive imported products or limited to select gourmet parlours.
Tanvi saw an opportunity to create something different: premium, innovative ice cream that felt indulgent yet remained affordable for Indian consumers. That vision led to the birth of Papacream in 2015, a dessert-first ice cream brand based in Mumbai.
Nostalgia Meets Innovation
Papacream was built on the idea that premium desserts should be accessible, not intimidating. The brand focuses on flavours and combinations that Indians already love, but with creative twists. From Dark Fantasy Belgian Chocolate and Jamun Masala popsicles to Hazelnut Cold Coffee and Birthday Cake Sundaes, Papacream reimagines familiar experiences in ice cream form.
Tanvi deliberately avoids overly experimental flavours like wasabi. “It may look cool on a menu, but it can intimidate people,” she says. Instead, the brand emphasises nostalgia, comfort, and joy.
Pricing is kept thoughtful and competitive. Single-serve ice creams range from ₹120 to ₹175, popsicles are ₹95 for a two-pack, and larger tubs range from ₹395 to ₹695. This balance of premium quality and affordability has been central to Papacream’s appeal.
Strong Focus on Product and Packaging
Nearly 90% of Papacream’s products are manufactured in-house, allowing faster innovation and better quality control. Every new flavour undergoes extensive testing, including blind taste tests with 30-40 people from diverse backgrounds to ensure it stands out against competitors.
The brand has also tapped into the growing demand for healthier options. It offers vegan, keto, and diabetic-friendly products, with its vegan sugar-free Vanilla Mud Pie Sundae becoming a bestseller.
Packaging is another area where Papacream stands out. Tanvi, who describes herself as creatively inclined, wanted the packaging to feel as delightful as the dessert itself. Witty phrases, vibrant colours, and thoughtful design help the products catch attention on shelves and in quick commerce apps.
Scaling Through Dark Stores and Quick Commerce
In recent years, Papacream has shifted from a retail-heavy model to an online-first approach. A major milestone was its partnership with Cure Foods, which enabled rapid expansion through dark stores. The company scaled to 100 dark stores in just five months and aims to reach 200 by the end of the year.
This model has enabled Papacream to maintain quality while reaching customers faster through quick-commerce platforms. The brand is also preparing for deeper integration with quick-commerce apps.
Global Ambitions
Papacream is already making its mark internationally. It exports to Singapore and the UAE, where demand is strong for both its vegan offerings and traditional Indian flavours like kulfi. The brand’s innovative popsicle packaging, designed for on-the-go consumption, has proven particularly popular in markets with strong vending and convenience cultures.
Looking Ahead
Papacream is targeting ₹25 crore ARR in the near term and ₹50 crore ARR over the next three years. By 2030, the company plans to expand to 500 dark stores across Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities.
The journey of Tanvi Chowdhri and Papacream shows how a deep understanding of Indian tastes, combined with global exposure and smart execution, can create a successful D2C brand. In a market long dominated by legacy players and expensive imports, Papacream is carving out its own space by making premium ice cream feel both special and accessible.
From Wall Street to Mumbai’s kitchens, Tanvi’s story is a reminder that sometimes the best business ideas come from personal passion and a keen eye for what consumers truly want.
As Papacream continues to grow, it is proving that nostalgia, innovation, and affordability can come together beautifully one scoop at a time.