MANILA, PHILIPPINES — If there’s anything the folks behind BBZ know, it’s how to take ordinary products and turn them into something fun, unique, and innovative.
Well-known for serving beer below zero, the brand now launches a new offering: BBZ ice cream. The line blends the magic of artisanal, hand-crafted ice cream with the mastery of a perfectly mixed cocktail.
Their flavors come in quirky names too. There’s the Jack Daniels-infused “Risky Road”, and the red-wine-and-strawberries combination in “French Kiss”, among other flavors.
To keep things exciting and Better Than Your Ex (another ice cream flavor of theirs), part of the plan is to continuously develop new variants like sherbet, sorbet, and gelato. They also want to keep experimenting in the kitchen to develop more flavors, with all major variants to be infused with liquor.
Speaking with adobo Magazine, Luigi Nuñez, President of BBZ, shares his insights about the company’s new ice cream venture.
What is BBZ Ice Cream?
It is premium ice cream infused with liquor.
How did it start?
An idea came out of the blue from a random coffee session between me and Lambert. We haven’t seen each other since ECQ of 2020 so when we got a chance to schedule a meet-up over coffee, this light bulb moment just happened. I guess you can call this a passion project which is now turning out to be a serious business venture for both of us. Lambert has been in the industry for 24 years, 15 of which were dedicated to the ice cream manufacturing business. His passion for ice cream is not that far from my passion for my liquor.
Where are we now?
We have currently developed 7 flavors, the last one “Out and Proud” is in support of LGBTQ+’s Pride Month this June.
Isn’t it difficult to go into business with family?
I think that is a misconception. Both Lambert and I came from different corporate worlds but we practice the discipline that was inculcated to us by our peers from the industry. He has (he’s now retired) been with the world’s biggest food manufacturer, Nestle and I am still with CNN International.
How is the work divided?
Lambert handles the R&D, production, operations while I handle marketing, PR, advertising, and distribution.
What are the next moves of BBZ Ice Cream after launching the 7 flavors?
We will launch 2 more flavors this June – one to commemorate Father’s Day + another one before the month ends
Future Plans of BBZ Ice Cream
We are currently in talks with local liquor producers and we plan to add some local “flavor” to the catchy names that we have. We will also be launching the “BESPOKE Project” where you can choose your own ice cream flavor and name for any special occasion like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. We will beef up our staff and invest in more industrial equipment so we can do continuous R&D for new product lines like Sherbet, Sorbet, and Gelato.
What is the planned distribution channel for BBZ Ice Cream?
For now, all orders are dispatched from our commissary in Quezon City. We plan to get at least 1 reseller from each congressional district in Metro Manila. The demand has been steadily increasing so we have to keep up with it.
What is the big plan for your business?
We plan to bring this nationwide and maybe tap on the 13 international markets of BBZ if there is demand.
