Snowberry brings Korean Bingsu to Indian streets

What is this, Bingsu?... Flowers in full bloom in the middle of winter.

Nothing could describe the internet’s favourite Korean dessert better than this dialogue from K-drama Mister Sunshine. 

‘Hallyu’ or the ‘Korean wave’—a term used to characterise the global popularity of South Korean pop culture—has exposed consumers to a buffet of Korean delicacies, including Bingsu—almost a distant cousin of Mumbai’s Ice Gola—prepared live with shaved flavoured ice and fresh fruits.

Indians are foodies. We connect over food, and occasionally, we will switch out the traditional gulab jamun for the Japanese mochi, Turkish kunafa, or French crêpes. Not to mention the broader lifestyle change among young Indians, including a growing preference for experiential dining and unique ingredients.  

“We noticed that customers were moving away from packaged or mass-manufactured desserts and were instead gravitating toward formats that offered customisation, freshness, and a sense of novelty,” Piyush Aggarwal, Co-founder of Snowberry, tells YourStory.

He adds, “International desserts offered all that—but very few were accessible or even available in India beyond a handful of cafes or high-end restaurants.”

From research to reinvention

The idea for Snowberry was born in early 2022, when Aggarwal and Preetvinder Singh—former classmates from IHM Chandigarh—identified a gap in the Indian QSR segment for global, experience-driven dessert formats.

“We were clear from day one that we didn’t want a regular ice cream parlour. We were inspired by dessert formats in Korea and the Middle East—especially Bingsu, real fruit-based ice creams made live, and Kunafa. These had strong regional roots but huge experiential value,” recalls Aggarwal.

Over a year, the duo researched, travelled, and experimented. “We eventually built a hybrid model—a QSR dessert bar with a live kitchen setup, where each dessert could be prepared in front of customers using fresh, real ingredients,” he says.

The duo invested in imported machinery to develop in-house, no-added-sugar bases using proprietary techniques to create Snowberry’s seasonal menu, focused solely on desserts.

The first outlet

In December 2023, Snowberry opened its first outlet in New Delhi’s Connaught Place, investing about Rs 15 lakh from personal savings.

“It was a risk, given the location cost and the fact that footfall is unpredictable for new brands. The initial few weeks were slow. We were honestly unsure if the market was ready for such a focused dessert-only concept,” admits Aggarwal.

Instead of aggressive marketing, the company focused on the in-store experience—live preparation, visible freshness, and a compact but distinctive menu. 

By January 2024, the brand saw an organic growth in customer interest, primarily through word-of-mouth. “People didn’t just come once. We had customers returning three to four times a week. It was the live prep, the texture of the ice creams, and the fact that everything was visibly fresh and made-to-order,” he notes.

At present, Snowberry sees daily footfalls of 300–400 per outlet, with a reported 70% repeat customer rate. It has served over 10 lakh customers to date. 

Among its patrons are public figures Rahul Gandhi and Manish Sisodia. “The staff at the [Connaught Place] outlet shared that members from his [Rahul Gandhi] team were already familiar with the brand and had previously ordered from it,” Aggarwal says, adding how an impromptu visit and positive feedback from Gandhi helped boost the brand's visibility on social media.

According to Market Research Future, India’s frozen dessert market is projected to grow from $10.56 billion in 2024 to $20.46 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of 6.197% during the forecast period (2025-2035).

Snowberry’s menu includes Korean Bingsu, bubble waffles, real fruit ice creams, Kunafa, and Punappa, a dessert from Dubai. The brand has priced its offerings between Rs 160 and 424, balancing affordability with a premium experience. The company declined to disclose its revenue.

“Our focus was always to treat dessert as a standalone category and not as an afterthought. Everything from the visual appeal to the taste had to be memorable. For example, with the Bingsu, we went through at least 30 iterations to get the right texture of shaved [frozen] milk,” explains Aggarwal.

Franchising with operational control

Snowberry operates eight outlets, of which four stores are on a franchise model. The brand aims to expand to 50 outlets, brand-owned and franchised, by the end of 2025.

“We’re extremely selective with franchise partners. Every outlet gets its setup kit from us—machinery, serving ware, and all food materials. We operate a centralised supply model, where even the mango pulp or topping is prepared and frozen at our facility in Delhi at -18°C and shipped weekly, which ensures consistency,” Aggarwal says.

However, achieving this operational consistency and maintaining product quality was quite challenging initially. “One of the most difficult challenges was replicating product quality at scale. Our early test runs failed because when we tried to batch-prepare, the texture changed. So, we had to design a semi-automated process that still allowed for live prep,” Aggarwal adds.

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In fact, Snowberry implemented structured SOPs, video modules, and a shadowing system to streamline staff training, where new teams train at operational outlets for a week before launch.

Each Snowberry outlet has a staff of six to seven employees, while the head office in Delhi operates with a team of 16 employees.

Despite its growth, Snowberry has remained bootstrapped so far. “We’ve reached a point where we’re now exploring funding—not just for expansion, but for backend infrastructure,” the CEO confirms.

To support scaling efforts, the brand is building a second dedicated manufacturing facility in Delhi for sauces, bases, and syrups, intended to maintain control over core product components and reduce third-party dependency.

Looking ahead

Snowberry’s team now wants to expand into Tier II cities, which offer strong growth potential through mall-based locations and increasing consumer spending.

“There’s a long list of dessert formats that haven’t entered India yet. Our strength is in identifying these early, adapting them to local preferences, and maintaining control over how they’re delivered,” the CEO says.

The brand is focused on deepening its product expertise within the dessert category, rather than diversifying horizontally. “We’re not trying to be everything to everyone. We’re building one format, refining it, and scaling it with care,” Aggarwal concludes.