Bengaluru Startup Makes Ice Cream With Zero Additives

A seven-year-old ran up to the founders at a market stall in Bengaluru and asked, "Uncle, does this have sugar in it?" For Barath Akkihebbal and Akash Narain Mittal, that single question proved they were onto something.

The two friends launched ELVN-ELVN in 2024 with one strict rule: if an ingredient has an E number code for chemical additives, it doesn't go in their ice cream. No polysorbates, no carrageenan, no synthetic stabilizers of any kind.

Akkihebbal's gluten intolerance and lactose sensitivity sparked the idea. He struggled to find ice cream that wouldn't make him sick, so he decided to make his own.

The journey wasn't easy. From February 2024 to January 2025, they tested around 50 different recipes. Every failed batch meant throwing away at least 90 kilograms of product. Early versions needed 45 minutes out of the freezer just to soften enough to scoop.

The breakthrough came through partnership with the National Institute of Food Technology. Together, they developed a proprietary millet-milk extraction process that replaced dairy entirely in their vegan line. They now hold a 10-year research agreement with the institute.

ELVN-ELVN offers two ranges today. Their MILLET line blends Indian grains like jowar and ragi with coconut milk, sweetened with dates and monk fruit. Their SELECT range uses A2 milk from indigenous cow breeds in Kabini, easier to digest than standard dairy.

Both cost Rs 140 for a small cup and Rs 400 for a family pack. The shelf life maxes out at nine months. "A two-year ice cream tells you everything about what went into it," Mittal says.

The brand manufactures everything in-house at their South Bengaluru facility, which can produce over 5,000 cups daily. They mill millet from jowar grown in Bijapur and ragi from Mandya, keeping their entire supply chain within Karnataka.

The Ripple Effect

One customer bought 14 cups at a Bengaluru market, packed them in ice, and drove 400 kilometers to Tamil Nadu for their diabetic teacher who hadn't eaten sweets in years. Stories like this reach the founders weekly.

The company started commercial production just three months ago in January 2025. They've already sold out three batches and are growing 50 percent each month. Five Organic Mandya stores carry their products, along with two cafés and the Ownly delivery app.

India's ice cream market is projected to reach Rs 639 billion by 2034, growing at over 11 percent annually. The clean-label segment is heating up with competitors like Go Zero and NOTO entering the space.

ELVN-ELVN secured Rs 2 crore through a government soft loan program supporting micro food processing businesses. The team of five keeps operations lean, with founders handling everything from recipe development to delivery logistics.

AI tools helped accelerate their progress. They trained ChatGPT on their recipe context to suggest natural alternatives when traditional additives proved hard to replace. "ChatGPT gives a great answer, but you wish it could taste what came out," Akkihebbal says.

Sometimes the simplest ideas take the longest to perfect, but when kids start asking about ingredients and teachers get to enjoy ice cream again, you know the work was worth it.

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