LITTLE MOONS LAUNCHES IN OCADO: BRITISH BRAND TAKES MOCHI MAINSTREAM BY SECURING FIRST EVER NATIONAL LISTING FOR JAPANESE DELICACY

Little Moons the British artisan producer of mochi ice cream, is taking this iconic Japanese delicacy mainstream in the UK by being the first ever brand to secure a national listing for the product through a partnership with Ocado.

 

Already the best-selling ice cream at Whole Foods, this new deal with Ocado will allow more consumers than ever before to enjoy the brand’s unique bite sized dessert. Three editions from Little Moons’ range, Coconut, Mango and Matcha Green Tea, will be sold initially through the online retailer.

 

Mochi ice cream has been named as a key consumer trend this year by Mintel[1] and the product features twice in the 2016 Google Food Trends Report[2]. This new listing will enable Little Moons to tap into growing demand for the product as well as for innovative and luxury ice cream in general. Indeed, national sales of ice cream have increased to £878.1 million, fuelled primarily by growth in luxury offerings.[3]

Traditionally filled with a sweetened red bean paste, Little Moons has updated the classic mochi recipe by adding artisan gelato in six contemporary flavours. Each soft sphere of scrumptiousness has a delightfully chewy outer edge and an indulgent and smooth gelato centre, a combination of contrasting textures that makes each mouthful so unique.

Little Moons Co-Founders Howard & Vivien Wong say: “Our listing with Ocado will be the first time mochi is available nationwide in Britain. We believe that this traditional Japanese delicacy can be just as popular in the UK as it is in its home country and we see our partnership with Ocado as key to achieving this.

“The growth of the brand has been driven by accelerated consumer demand for innovative and luxurious ice cream and by providing Brits with access to a trending new product that they may never have tried before.”

Mochi is produced by skilfully steaming and then pounding rice flour until it gains the beautifully soft elasticity for which it is famous. The Little Moons range is made from scratch in London and are hand rolled according to the traditional method. Howard and Vivien Wong spent two years perfecting the complex and technical process of making mochi, developing their products alongside Nobu’s head patisserie chef, Regis Cursan.

The soft and bouncy texture of mochi is just as special as its delicious taste. Beloved in Japan and known as the “Q texture” in the Far East, “Q” is to culinary consistency what umami is to taste and will be familiar to adventurous Western palates from the chewy tapioca balls found at the bottom of Taiwanese bubble tea. It is destined to become a staple for Britain’s gastronomic trailblazers.

Notes

[1] http://store.mintel.com/ice-cream-market-global-review-2016

[2] https://think.storage.googleapis.com/docs/FoodTrends-2016.pdf

[3] The Grocer Magazine, 10 Things You Need To Know About Ice Cream Report - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/reports/digital-features/ice-cream-report-2016/luxury-ice-cream-shines-with-17m-growth-as-singles-melt/534553.article