"Consistent Product Innovation, Authentic Flavour is Our USP," Natasha Fagri, Frost Popsicles

South-Africa based Frost Popsicles recently partnered with FranGlobal to enter India and expand their wings here. Started by Natasha Fagri and her business partner Jon-Marc De Carvalho in 2016 in South Africa where both of them grew up surrounded by families who appreciate good food. “We both love to cook, and we create and taste-test every popsicle recipe until it’s right,” shared Fagri who named it as Frost Popsicle because of the frozen nature of the product and surrounded by the amazing food culture and the wine and craft spirits industry of their native country. “We believe in a great product made without compromise. Building this brand and product from scratch starting with two flavour profiles and growing the range over six years to include seven premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic popsicles, we know hard work is the best friend of a good idea,” she added by adding that their instincts have been right – people loved Frost’s premium, all-natural popsicles from the moment they launched, and it wasn’t long before we knew we needed to expand our horizons for this brand. Excerpts from the interview:

What’s your USP?

Consistent product innovation, using only premium ingredients with nothing artificial, staying true to the authentic flavour profile of whichever alcohol we are working with.

What’s your plan for Indian market?

Our plans are currently in progress, presenting Frost to relevant potential partners in the Indian market with the help of FranGlobal. We see the potential for the import of our product specifically for the hospitality, retail and event markets in the country. We also see potential to manufacture Frost in India, if the demand suffices.

Models in India you are looking at? Will it be a franchisee owned, franchisee operated, or franchisee owned and the company operated?

Our focus is not on franchising in the traditional sense, but rather on partnering with long-term, like-minded import partners who have experience in importing products of an alcoholic nature. We have exported to Singapore, Mauritius and the USA earlier and we’d like to continue to expand into receptive markets where there is demand and interest. Hence, our decision is to partner with FranGlobal to launch Frost into the Indian market and from there other neighbouring territories also.

Which market segment are you actually targeting in India?

The hospitality and event market segments. The benefits of working with our brand is the opportunity to partner with a brand that is committed to quality and innovation in a sector of the market (frozen alcoholic novelty products) that continues to grow aggressively around the world.

Where will you be sourcing the ingredients?

Our product is manufactured in South Africa and all our ingredients are sourced there from our trusted network of suppliers.

There is an increase use in technology across sector. So how will you be using the technology?

Our product range has successfully been sold online via our own e-commerce and third party sites and the same opportunity could be explored in the Indian market, if relevant.

Any new trends that you're witnessing in the industry as a global brand?

Frozen alcoholic novelty products like our popsicles, continue to grow aggressively around the world as they’re viewed as a quick, convenient and fun variant for alcohol consumption. Furthermore, the growing popularity of frozen cocktails amongst millennials and the significant increase in the purchase of frozen beverages, has also contributed in boosting market growth. According to Grand View Research, the global ready-to-drink cocktails market size was valued at £521m in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% from 2021 to 2028.

If all goes right, when can we see you opening the first outlet in India? Targets for Indian market?

The strategy for Frost Popsicles in India is not opening an outlet but start with piloting the product with our partners and putting it across different channels. The channels include HORECA, premium licensed alcohol shops and high-end events. This is the same strategy that Frost Popsicles follow in their home-market in South Africa and in also in USA. Therefore, in India as well, we see a very large opportunity to work with our partner/s and have the best alcoholic popsicles in the world easily accessible across every channels.