Latest news with #LittleMoons
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Lidl shoppers 'obsessed' with new ice cream and can't believe price
People are 'running to Lidl' after spotting a new Italian-style ice cream available in mouthwatering flavours, and some shoppers are saying they are the 'best ever' It's no secret that summer and ice cream go hand in hand. On average, each person in the UK eats around nine litres of ice cream per year. This puts Brits in the top 10 globally for ice cream consumption, according to Little Moons. While all types of ice cream are great, Italians are known across the world for their gelato - which is often handmade with less butter fat and air than other frozen desserts contain, making the flavours more intense with a creamy and smooth texture. Some historians believe gelato was first invented on the island of Sicily in the ninth century, with the recipe having been adapted since then. However, others think the gelato we know today was invented by Cosimo Ruggeri and Bernardo Buontalenti in the 16th century. While 'normal' ice cream is more easily accessible in the UK, there are still ways you can enjoy the Italian version without having to leave the country. And Lidl has now made it even more accessible, selling their version of Italian-style ice cream that has people 'running' to the shops to get their hands on a tub or two. Taking to TikTok, Freya Watkins shared a video clip she took as she was doing her shopping in Lidl on 31 May when she spotted the ice cream tubs in the freezer section. With flavours such as hazelnut praline, raspberry cheesecake, vanilla pecan crunch and banana chocolate caramel swirl, it's easy to see why people have shared their enthusiasm, which is retailing for £3.49 per tub. Another social media user, Lucy Gibb, decided to do a taste test, trying the hazelnut praline, raspberry cheesecake, and banana chocolate caramel swirl flavours, and they all got raving reviews. First up was the raspberry cheesecake which scored an 11/10, with Lucy explaining: "Reminds me of my childhood [favourite] Mr Whippy with raspberry sauce!" Next up was the hazelnut praline, which Lucy said tasted similar to a Kinder Bueno chocolate bar, earning it a score of 8.5/10. And scoring a 9/10 was the banana chocolate caramel flavour, which Lucy said she was surprised by. "Did not expect to like this as I don't enjoy artificial banana but it did not give this at all - really yummy," she wrote on her post. Several people quickly took to the comments of the two videos with many saying they were desperate to try the ice cream. "There are not enough banana flavoured desserts in this world this looks incred," one person said, as another viewer wrote: "seeing this video after buying the vanilla pecan crunch, it's soooo good." "I saw those .. I picked one up then put it down, I'll grab one next time," another viewer shared. A fourth person said: "The best ice cream range ever made." "I want all these, but just done the big monthly shop, so literally no freezer space for them," another person wrote.
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How Vivien Wong Turned Little Moons Into A $66M Mochi Empire
Vivien Wong of Little Moons Vivien Wong didn't set out to become a category creator. She wasn't chasing fame or funding when she co-founded Little Moons with her brother in 2010—just an idea that ice cream, when wrapped in pillowy mochi, might just taste better than anything else on the market. Over the next decade, that quiet conviction built into a global brand stocked in 34 countries, with revenues climbing from £10 million [$13.3 million] to £50 million [$66.7 million] in a two-year timeframe alone. This year, it also earned her a nomination for the coveted Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award—recognition not just for breaking into the freezer aisle, but for reshaping it. But Wong's path into food was far from linear. 'I studied Economics at the University of Reading before starting my career at Barclays, where I qualified as a chartered accountant,' she says. While her early career was firmly corporate, the seed of entrepreneurship had been planted long before. 'My parents, first-generation immigrants from Asia, were a huge inspiration,' Wong continues. 'In 1990, they opened a successful Asian bakery in North London and—although my mother encouraged me to forge my own path—from a young age, I admired the sense of purpose and satisfaction that came with building something from the ground up.' Food was always in the picture, but it wasn't until a decade ago that the siblings began actively exploring what a family business of their own might look like. They noticed a shift in the way people in the UK were consuming Japanese cuisine: the savoury dishes were evolving, but dessert felt like an afterthought at the time. 'We had always loved the traditional Japanese mochi our parents made with red bean paste, and on our travels in Japan and the U.S., we discovered mochi filled with ice cream,' she says. 'That was the 'aha' moment: what if we gave mochi a modern British twist by using ice cream as the filling?' Little Moons ice cream mochi That simple twist—a fusion of childhood nostalgia and global curiosity—became the foundation for Little Moons. But the process was anything but simple. There were no machines for making mochi at scale in the UK. No freezer-snack category to plug into. 'We spent two years developing the product, with no existing machinery to rely on,' she says. 'Every milestone felt massive: hiring our first employee, securing our first restaurant listing, developing retail packaging.' Of course, that incremental approach paid off. The product landed first with chefs and restaurants, later with retailers, and, come 2021, everything changed—not through traditional advertising or investor backing, but via TikTok. What started as a few users posting 'Little Moons hunts' in supermarket aisles quickly became a viral movement. '#littlemoons reached over 500 million views,' Wong says. 'That viral moment accelerated our growth, drove new listings, and turned us into a global brand.' Behind the scenes, it was chaos. 'Overnight, demand surged by 1000%, but pandemic restrictions limited our ability to scale production. We faced a global shortage of packaging materials, supply chain delays, and staffing challenges.' Even as the business ballooned, Wong and her team kept production in-house and scrambled to maintain culture during a period of explosive growth. 'Our team tripled in size almost instantly… but we pulled through and grew revenue from £10 million [$13.3 million] to £50 million [$66.7 million] in just two years, still producing everything in-house.' That decision—to build slowly, to maintain control—has com to define the way Little Moons approaches growth. The company was self-funded for many years, only taking on external investment in 2022. 'We only brought in external investment once we had a clear vision for the next phase of growth,' Wong explains. Little Moons products Today, the company is no longer just synonymous with mochi ice cream. It has expanded into new formats—including Cheesecakes and Refreshos, ice cream mochis' sorbet-packed sister—and helped define a new consumer habit. 'Now, when people reach into the freezer for a bite-sized mochi instead of a chocolate bar or biscuit, that's a real mark of how far we've come.' But introducing something new, she points out, doesn't happen overnight. 'That's what people often misunderstand about innovation in food—that it takes time. A lot of time. From product development to consumer adoption, innovation doesn't happen overnight. We introduced something entirely new—a different product, a new format, and an entirely new way of thinking about frozen snacks. It took 12 years of consistent effort to build Little Moons into a category leader, success doesn't happen overnight, but your moment could!' That slow, strategic approach also helped Little Moons achieve B Corp certification in 2023. 'It reflects our commitment to creating 'little lifts, crafted without compromise' for our global fanbase,' Wong says. 'B Corp standards guide us as we work to reduce our carbon footprint, improve ingredient sourcing, and empower our employees. It's not just a certification—it's a roadmap for sustainable growth.' As the brand scales, so too has Wong's definition of boldness. 'In the early days, boldness meant believing in your vision, even when others didn't,' she says. 'We were told repeatedly that people wouldn't understand mochi. But we saw early signs of success and kept building on them.' These days, boldness looks more like leadership: trusting others, hiring well, stepping back when needed. 'Being bold also meant instilling that belief in our small team 'Now, I see boldness in using my experience to mentor other founders and contribute beyond Little Moons.' Personally, Wong's next chapter includes carving out space to tell that story more openly. 'Looking ahead, I feel a growing sense of purpose in sharing more of my journey — not for recognition, but in the hope that it might resonate with and encourage other women who are considering an entrepreneurial path,' she says. 'You can't be what you can't see.' Vivien and Howard Wong, founders of Little Moons
Scottish Sun
23-04-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Huge snack firm with items at M&S and Sainsbury's closes factory with hundreds of jobs at risk after £5m bailout
The firm pledged to expand their market influence internationally in the wake of the closure SNACK DROP Huge snack firm with items at M&S and Sainsbury's closes factory with hundreds of jobs at risk after £5m bailout Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TRENDY dessert firm selling products at M&S and Sainsbury's has closed a factory and received a £5million bail-out - leaving hundreds of jobs at risk. The popular snack company was thrown a lifeline after breaching its loan terms following the shut down of its Kettering factory. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A popular dessert firm has left hundreds of jobs at risk after a bail-out and factory closure Credit: Little Moons 3 Little Moons have closed their short-lived factory in Kettering Credit: Little Moons Documents show that Little Moons defaulted on its loan terms last December, having confirmed the closure of its Kettering site the month before. Following this, the ice cream ball firm agreed to secure a further £5million funding from its shareholders after resetting its agreements. Little Moons are ice cream bites wrapped in mochi dough, which is a Japanese rice cake. They took off about three years ago after going viral on social media. Sales of Little Moons mini desserts rocketed after the hashtag #littlemoons racked up millions of views on TikTok. Little Moons's short-lived Kettering factory opened in early 2024 and aimed to be the company's flagship manufacturing hub. The business then planned to close its two London factories in Park Royal and Wembley. But the ice cream company's plans have melted - and they have now shut down their new Kettering plant and returned to the sites ar Park Royal and Wembley. This came after a review which sought to "ensure a stable and profitable future" for the dessert firm. Beloved grocery chain 'way less expensive than Walmart' to open five new locations in 2025 The company did not confirm how many staff exaclty would be affected by the closure, but there are reportedly up to 200 jobs at risk, according to the Northamptonshire Telegraph. New Little Moons accounts show that total sales hit £53million in the year to December 2023 - down from £64million on the previous 18 months. Total sales across the UK and Europe slumped from £60million to £46million in 2023. Little Moons CEO Joanna Allen told The Grocer that their company was continuing to grow. She said that they made the "difficult decision" to close the Kettering branch at the end of 2024. She said: "Looking forward, the business is on solid footing to continue blazing a trail for frozen snacking." The CEO added that they will be "investing in marketing in the UK, Germany, France, Australia and beyond in 2025". A box of Little Moons costs between £3.50 and £5, depending on where you buy them from. They're available in a variety of flavours including passion fruit and mango, Belgian chocolate, and Madagascan vanilla. The treats are also gluten free with some flavours also suitable for vegans. You get six in a box and they have a soft, chewy texture to them, due to the mochi dough on the outside. They sell their treats at M&S and Sainsbury's but have also been spotted at Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose.
The Sun
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Huge snack firm with items at M&S and Sainsbury's closes factory with hundreds of jobs at risk after £5m bailout
A TRENDY dessert firm selling products at M&S and Sainsbury's has closed a factory and received a £5million bail-out - leaving hundreds of jobs at risk. The popular snack company was thrown a lifeline after breaching its loan terms following the shut down of its Kettering factory. 3 3 Documents show that Little Moons defaulted on its loan terms last December, having confirmed the closure of its Kettering site the month before. Following this, the ice cream ball firm agreed to secure a further £5million funding from its shareholders after resetting its agreements. Little Moons are ice cream bites wrapped in mochi dough, which is a Japanese rice cake. They took off about three years ago after going viral on social media. Sales of Little Moons mini desserts rocketed after the hashtag #littlemoons racked up millions of views on TikTok. Little Moons's short-lived Kettering factory opened in early 2024 and aimed to be the company's flagship manufacturing hub. The business then planned to close its two London factories in Park Royal and Wembley. But the ice cream company's plans have melted - and they have now shut down their new Kettering plant and returned to the sites ar Park Royal and Wembley. This came after a review which sought to "ensure a stable and profitable future" for the dessert firm. Beloved grocery chain 'way less expensive than Walmart' to open five new locations in 2025 The company did not confirm how many staff exaclty would be affected by the closure, but there are reportedly up to 200 jobs at risk, according to the Northamptonshire Telegraph. New Little Moons accounts show that total sales hit £53million in the year to December 2023 - down from £64million on the previous 18 months. Total sales across the UK and Europe slumped from £60million to £46million in 2023. Little Moons CEO Joanna Allen told The Grocer that their company was continuing to grow. She said that they made the "difficult decision" to close the Kettering branch at the end of 2024. She said: "Looking forward, the business is on solid footing to continue blazing a trail for frozen snacking." The CEO added that they will be " investing in marketing in the UK, Germany, France, Australia and beyond in 2025". A box of Little Moons costs between £3.50 and £5, depending on where you buy them from. They're available in a variety of flavours including passion fruit and mango, Belgian chocolate, and Madagascan vanilla. The treats are also gluten free with some flavours also suitable for vegans. You get six in a box and they have a soft, chewy texture to them, due to the mochi dough on the outside. They sell their treats at M&S and Sainsbury's but have also been spotted at Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Many retailers ‘trying to replicate our product', viral mochi brand says
London-based mochi ice cream maker Little Moons has said international markets are key to its growth, as the once-viral brand faces squeezed UK consumers and fends off supermarkets rolling out own-brand versions. Co-founder Vivien Wong said manufacturers around the world were racing to replicate the sweet treat. Little Moons, which makes mochi balls – ice cream, wrapped in soft and chewy rice dough – was founded in 2010 by Ms Wong and her brother Howard, and has grown to generate a turnover of more than £50 million. It experienced a sudden surge in popularity when it went viral on video-sharing platform TikTok during the Covid pandemic, with users rushing to find the dessert amid limited supply. Ms Wong described the period as the 'best of times and the worst of times', with the business having to quickly grow its factory and production capabilities to keep up with the boom in demand. She said it was a 'huge risk' to upscale but that the business had managed to maintain growth since, and the product can now be bought in supermarkets across the UK including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado, and Asda. It also exports to about 35 countries around the world, not including the US. Ms Wong told the PA news agency that the sales environment had been 'tougher' in the UK, where consumers have been squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis. 'The UK has been hit harder than any other country that we supply,' she said, adding that it is 'really hard out there' for consumers. 'The UK is our home market and it's still really important for us, but we also have 35 other international markets that we're developing to help our growth.' The founder, who is one of three finalists for this year's prestigious Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award, said there had been plenty of competitors springing up in the market. 'We have definitely seen lots of competition come in,' she told in PA. 'Lots of larger own-brand manufacturers around the world have seen our success and are trying to replicate our product.' Fast-growing discounted supermarkets Aldi and Lidl, as well as Marks & Spencer, are among those to have brought out their own-label ice cream mochi balls. In a high-profile case, Aldi lost a trademark battle against Thatchers over its cloudy lemon cider, after the Somerset-based brewer sued the supermarket for infringement. Ms Wong said it would be a 'fool's errand' to try to legally challenge supermarkets over their mochi balls – largely because they have not attempted to copy her business's branding. Meanwhile, she said Little Moons – which currently sells for about £4.50 a box – had stayed the same in terms of the size of the box since coming to supermarkets. 'Other ice cream brands have been able to benefit from shrinkage – they've shrunk their products,' she told PA. 'We haven't been able to benefit from the tricks that I guess multinationals are able to have up their sleeve. 'I think a lot of difficulty is getting consumers to understand what a really good quality product is and why it costs so much,' she said, with the company being impacted by things such as rising milk prices and chocolate shortages. Little Moons, which was initially self-funded by the founders, sold a 'significant' minority stake to US private equity firm L Catterton in 2022. It also brought in former Graze boss Joanna Allen as its new chief executive last year.
