By GAVIN ALEXANDER | Junior Reporter
From a very young age I’ve been interested in business. I love learning the stories behind the products I personally enjoy.
I’m a big fan of Frozen Fruit Co on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, so I wanted to learn more about Co-Founders Michael and Victoria Philippou.
What inspired you and Victoria to transition from being lawyers to creating plant-based ice cream?
During the 2008 recession, the law firm Michael was working for in the UK sent him to get his MBA. This is where he met his wife and business partner Victoria. Michael liked the idea of starting a business, and neither he nor Victoria loved their jobs as lawyers.
They both loved sweet treats but after they would eat ice cream late at night, they didn’t like how they felt. The desire for a healthier ice cream led them to start experimenting with different flavors.
Michael and Victoria knew nothing about making ice cream. They paid to take an ice cream-making course in the UK where they learned to make traditional ice cream and sorbet.
They initially started doing business in the UK. Their initial flavors were fruit based. They sold pints into grocery stores. However, they always felt that the States, and LA in particular, would be a better market for their product.
Moving from London to LA is a huge change. Can you share what it felt like to make such a significant life and career shift?
Moving from London to LA was a big move. Victoria had been to LA once, but Michael had never even visited. They owned a home in London and in order to move to LA, they had to get visas and sell everything they owned.
In addition, they had to figure out how to start a company in the U.S. and how to find the right location to lease. They had to accomplish all of this in only three months.
How did you decide on Santa Monica and Montana Avenue in particular?
Michael and Victoria spent days looking at different areas of LA. They spent time in Venice, Pasadena and downtown.
They would walk around the area in order to try and get a feel for it. The location on Montana Avenue was one of the first places they saw. They dismissed it initially but kept coming back to it. They wanted something small, and they wanted a great location. Their space on Montana proved to be exactly what they were seeking.
Frozen Fruit Co has been open in the same location on Montana Avenue for over eight years. When the business first started, Frozen Fruit Co served a soft serve style product. However, it was challenging to make soft serve using their formulation. Two and a half years into the business, they changed from soft serve to a hard scoop-based product.
Your ice creams have a simple, natural ingredient list. Can you walk us through the process of developing your recipes?
Michael and Victoria’s rules for their recipes are simple. The recipes must have minimal ingredients, the ingredients can only contain things you’ve heard of and there can be no refined sugars.
They use dates to sweeten many of the flavors or organic agave if they are working with fruit-based flavors. The creaminess of their product comes from the use of a coconut base. Developing the perfect flavor combination has been the result of a lot of trial and error.
What are your personal favorite flavors, and which ones are the most popular with your customers?
Michael’s favorite flavor of all time is Vanilla Raspberry. It is made up of vanilla ice cream (coconut cream, organic dates and vanilla) plus raspberry jelly swirl, which is whole raspberries and agave. It reminds him of his favorite flavor from the UK, the Raspberry Ripple.
Salted Chocolate and Mint Chocolate Chip are fan favorites, and Chocolate Peanut Butter, the Tuesday special, is very popular.
Frozen Fruit Co always has five core flavors available. Additionally, there is a flavor of the week and a special flavor of the day. Chocolate Peanut Butter was the start of the daily specials. Other daily specials include Coffee Chocolate Chip on Mondays, Strawberry Cheesecake on Wednesdays, Cookies and Cream on Thursdays, and Vanilla PB Salted Caramel on Fridays.
How do you and Victoria divide responsibilities?
When they first started, they were both in the store full time. However, as time went on, they had two children and the pandemic to deal with.
Michael handles the store operations, including managing the team, making the ice cream, and ensuring they have adequate supplies and ingredients on hand.
Victoria is responsible for the finances and back-of-house operations. Together they work on marketing and developing the flavors.
Palisadian-Post readers are likely familiar with Sweet Laurel given they have a location in the Palisades Village. How did you decide to partner with Sweet Laurel?
Laurel, the founder of Sweet Laurel, would come into Frozen Fruit Co as a customer. Michael was looking for another special flavor. Cookies and Cream is popular, but Oreos don’t fit with Frozen Fruit Co’s brand.
Michael started talking to Sweet Laurel and realized it would be a perfect fit to make a Cookies and Cream flavor using Sweet Laurel Cookies. Michael loves using Sweet Laurel cookies and doughs, and even makes ice cream sandwiches sold at both Frozen Fruit Co and Sweet Laurel.
What has been the hardest experience thus far?
Covid was really tough. In addition to the business, he and Victoria had a newborn daughter at home. They were worried about the safety of their team members. Their strategy was to stay open as much as possible and as safely possible.
During Covid they took a lot of phone orders, and would take payment over the phone and walk orders to people’s cars. He said Covid was all about being adaptable and cautious.
Are there plans to open up additional locations?
Michael is asked this question a lot. Right now, they are focused on getting their brand right. In 2025 they will start to think about expansion within Los Angeles.
What advice would you give to someone, especially young people, who are inspired by your story and want to start their own business?
Michael’s advice is as follows:
- Focus on your finances. Make sure you have a business that will work.
- Be adaptable and open to change. Just because you have one vision doesn’t mean it will work in the future. If something isn’t working, be willing to change it.
- Get going. You will never have the perfect product or strategy.
Finally, what is the best part about making and serving ice cream to your customers?
Michael loves seeing the reaction on people’s faces when they try the product. Ice cream makes people happy.
Frozen Fruit Co is located at 729 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. Find more information at frozenfruitco.com or on Instagram @frozenfruitco.
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