There's something magical about the sound of an ice cream truck meandering through neighborhood streets on a sweltering summer afternoon. The tinkling melody draws children from their homes, while parents emerge with knowing smiles, wallets in hand, ready to participate in one of life's simplest yet most profound rituals. The congregation around the truck, sticky fingers, bright eyes, and the universal language of pure joy represents something deeper than a mere transaction. It's nostalgia crystallized in vanilla swirls and chocolate chips. For me, ice cream is connected to many precious memories, like the times my mom would add two small spoonfuls of vanilla ice cream to iced coffee whenever we had guests at our house, or how on Sunday afternoons our family would drive an hour to the Indian store to secure a pint of pistachio or kulfi ice cream as our weekly treat.

For Pooja Bavishi, founder of Malai, an artisanal ice cream brand based in Brooklyn, New York, these moments aren't just childhood memories but the foundation of her business. Armed with an MBA from New York University and a master's in science from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Bavishi could have chosen any path. And she has chosen ice cream, using the sweet treat to represent her South Asian roots, one scoop at a time. “Malai was born out of a desire to celebrate cultural heritage,” she says. “Look at cookies and cream, for example. It's a mainstream flavor that millions of people enjoy. South Asian flavors should be no different, and should be just as accessible.”

Pooja Bavishi wants to make South Asian flavors as common in ice cream as cookies and cream.

Malai / Morgan Ione Photography

Ice cream occupies a unique space in our collective consciousness. It's the treat that transcends age, culture, and circumstance. Everyone has an ice cream memory, whether it’s the first taste of birthday cake flavor, a consolation cone after a scraped knee, or a romantic gelato shared on a first date. Bavishi understands this universal truth and saw an opportunity to expand the vocabulary of joy. “We're not just placing ice cream in brick-and-mortar neighborhoods,” she says. “We're creating spaces where anyone can come and be part of their ice cream memory. Ice cream isn't confined to any one group of people, but universal.”

The challenge isn't in convincing palates to embrace cardamom, saffron, or rose flavors, and to step away from the usual chocolate, vanilla or strawberry flavors. It’s in the fundamental nature of ice cream itself. “What's challenging is that it's frozen,” Bavishi laughs. “The transport is difficult, you need functioning equipment all the time, the scooping is served frozen. Really obvious, but not something you always think about.”

For Bavishi, the flavor challenges are where the magic happens. “This is my favorite part,” she says. “I see it as an exciting test of what we can come up with next. What have people never seen before? That's the best part of the job. Constantly innovating.”

Malai ice cream is also available by the pint.

Malai / Morgan Ione Photography

Being a solo founder also means carrying the weight of belief when no one else can see what you see. “It's a lonely job,” Bavishi admits. “At the beginning, you're the only one who believes in your vision and product, and that can feel isolating.” The baseline stress is high whether it’s funding, building a team, or the daily challenges of running a business. “You wake up with worry, go to sleep with worry. But you also wake up with joy because you're excited about what you're doing,” she says.

The fundraising journey, particularly challenging for female entrepreneurs in food businesses, requires extra resilience, according to Bavishi. She notes how female entrepreneurs often report having to work harder to be taken seriously by investors, suppliers, and even customers, but in the business of joy, she pushes harder knowing that ice cream has global appeal.

In an era obsessed with health consciousness and dietary restrictions, some might question the future of indulgent treats. But Bavishi isn't worried. “It's a treat, and people will always want an escape, especially with what's going on in their personal lives, professional lives, or the world around them,” she says. “That market will never go away."

Pooja Bavishi's book, "Malai," covers ice cream as well as other South Asian-inspired desserts.

Malai / Morgan Ione Photography

Her confidence also extends beyond ice cream to the written word. What began as a food blog has evolved into a comprehensive guide for home ice cream makers. In her first cookbook, Malai, Bavishi features more than 100 recipes, with the first two chapters showcasing Malai's 20 signature flavors, and the remaining 80 offering new experiments spanning baked goods, toppings, and Indian sweets. “I love sharing stories and recipes,” she says. “I started developing ice cream recipes in my apartment with my brand new KitchenAid, and I hope this book inspires readers to make their own variations.”

With Malai's artisanal shop opening in Brooklyn in 2019, and expanding to Washington, D.C. in 2024 and Philadelphia in May, Bavishi is building more than a business. She’s building a movement that combines innovation and her heritage. Because at the end of the day, joy tastes the same in every language. And happiness, it turns out, is a dish best served cold.