Passion, a shared childhood, and a family legacy—these are the ingredients that make Sweety Ice Cream special. Cousins Stacey, Sean, and Tiffany have taken their parents’ entrepreneurial spirit and transformed it into the only family-operated and AAPI-owned mochi ice cream brand in the U.S. In the ‘70s, their family ran a small ice cream shop in Los Angeles, but when they decided to retire in 2019, the next generation knew it was time to take over.
From Alphonso Mango to Vietnamese Coffee, these mess-free treats feature non-GMO ice cream wrapped in a pillowy blanket of bouncy mochi—no bowl, spoon, or scooper required.
Recently, we caught up with Tiffany to learn more about her family’s journey and hear her advice for fellow entrepreneurs.
1. Why did you start Sweety Ice Cream?
Sweety Ice Cream is and has always been about our family’s love of food. It was a spark of entrepreneurship and inspiration that turned a nostalgia for childhood desserts and flavors into the business it is today.
My aunt and uncle immigrated to the United States in the 1970s—a time of rapid growth in the Los Angeles Chinese community. Inspired by the American dream and seeing an unmet need, our family opened a little ice cream parlor in Monterey Park. However, we couldn’t find traditional Asian-flavored ice creams like red bean and taro, so we began making them ourselves. It seemed that we weren’t alone in missing these flavors and our popularity quickly took off.
The older generation was ready to retire by 2019, so my cousins and I decided to quit our jobs and take over the business! We updated and improved upon existing recipes and created branding that tells our family story through authentic products.
2. What obstacles did you face along the way?
We’ve weathered so many ups and downs since we launched during the pandemic. Sweety hit store shelves in March 2020, just as everything shut down. We were worried that no one would bother spending money on luxuries like mochi ice cream, but as it turned out, ice cream was such a comfort food as everyone was sheltering at home. Many customers took a chance on Sweety and then kept coming back.
Since we self-manufacture, learning to scale our production has been a challenge. It was a stressful few months trying to figure out how we were going to source enough raw materials while ramping up production capacity and logistics to get orders out on time.
3. What lessons do you have for other entrepreneurs?
I think being a founder and having worked at large, multinational corporations, I have learned how important it is to focus on building a healthy, productive culture within the company, no matter how big or small. There’s also no job too small—we have a “roll up your sleeves” and get things done culture. As founders, we will put together a tradeshow booth or go find dry ice for a shipment that’s going to a buyer. We value everyone who works at Sweety. We appreciate their work and believe that it really impacts a small business like ours. Trusting your colleagues, providing flexibility, and being considerate of their personal circumstances are critical to having a positive work environment. I want everyone to enjoy coming into work while knowing that their work, input, and feedback matter.
4. What’s on the horizon for Sweety Ice Cream?
We’re excited to continue our retail expansion with the partners we love like Bristol Farms. We also have new products in the works for 2025—stay tuned!
5. How do you keep work/life balance? What drives/inspires you?
Being an entrepreneur and parenting three kids is a juggling act. I’m inspired by travel, and in particular, by our recent extended family trip to Asia. We love showing the kids other cultures and broadening their palates by exploring local cuisine. The dessert shops and night markets in Taiwan were a feast for the senses—I got so many ideas on new items for Sweety!
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