‘Bella Candy’ Back in Town brought to you by Ideal Ice Cream
Mangaluru: The “Bella (Jaggery) Candy” was by far everyone’s favourite! There was something just so delicious and satisfying about the flavours – sweetness from the jaggery paired with an element of spice from crushed peppercorns and subtly flavoured with some cardamom. Most Bella candies that I ate also had bits of grated coconut in it – isn’t it such a lovely package? Tring..tring… I remember my childhood days running behind the man coming on a bicycle carrying these candies in an insulated, aluminium and wood encased ice boxes firmly tied behind the cycle seat. These candies were nothing but frozen popsicles on a stick- and they came in wide varieties, and among them was ‘Bella Candy’. I can’t wait to have one today at Ideal’s Pabbas or Ideal Cafe!
Mukund Kamath with his father, Prabhakar Kamath holding Ideal’s ‘Bella Candy’
And now this famed ‘Bella candy’ (jaggery candy) of yesteryears is back in town, thanks to Mukund Kamath, the Managing Director of Ideal Ice Cream and entrepreneur of award-winning ice-creams. And these ‘Bella Candies’, around 2500 in numbers will be given free to kids and adults by Mukund Kamath when the Rx Life-BSA Cycle rally culminates this Sunday morning (11 December). This will surely bring back memories of their childhood for many seniors and adults when they once again bite into this delicious and mouthwatering popsicle, which will also quench your thirst during treacherous warm days.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Mukund said, “It was my elder brother who is abroad and his well-wishers who convinced me to revive this once famous must eat item during vacations that children coming to this part of the state craved for. We had started the trial productions in July and have thus far tried out some 15 varieties. We have gone in for a retro feel of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s with the package to sell this product in a modern era, where the consumer is health conscious and mindful of what he/she eats.”
“We decided that Bella Candy will be released again with a retro theme of packing since we aim at appealing to the nostalgia of people. Recently when we introduced “Jack-fruit Payasa” flavour of ice cream to the Kudla people, it received the great response since it not only tasted good but also invoked memories of the yesteryears among our locals. So we thought why not bring back the favourite Bella candy of the past. The Bella Candy pouch has been manufactured by Star Flex Laminators-Mangaluru, and the pouch was designed by designers at Rangoli Digitals, Mangaluru. Followers of Ideal Ice Creams page on Facebook have expressed their happiness and excitement regarding Bella Candy and I am so glad to see it. I am confident that ‘Bella candy’ could well become a household item to crave for during this hot summer days” added Mukund.
Attention all you ice candy lovers, you will surely love this “Bella Candy” which is purely made of jaggery (no added sugar, artificial flavours or colours), slightly spiced with grated coconut, honey, and cardamom. So head on to any one of the Ideal Ice Cream shacks in Mangaluru, and savour this old-time favourite?
