"Ice cream for me, has always been a time machine. One scoop can take you back to a rainy Tuesday after school, a noisy Sunday fiesta, or the quiet warmth of your grandmother's kitchen. I didn't look at a recipe book. I looked back. These flavors are my core memories, churned into something new. I invite you to taste my childhood. Welcome to the journey."
John Marcelo takes you on a nostalgic journey inspired by flavorful moments and memories from the past reimagined in an indulgent scoop of traditional and timeless comforting local notes with a new brand in an emerging and competitive premium artisanal ice cream market. Anchored on Filipino flavors, Marcelo's Microcreamery freezes both heritage and innovation in a decadently seamless blend for a unique ice cream experience setting it apart from the usual options on the supermarket's frozen section. More than just another ice cream brand, Marcelo's Microcreamery is a celebration of both heritage and national identity elegantly packed in a pint. Local is the new premium, transformed and celebrated in a bold new expression of pure indulgence.
At the formal launch, Romulo Cafe becomes the perfect setting for the introduction of Marcelo's Microcreamery. Chosen as a strategic partner, Romulo Cafe is known for its traditional renditions of modern Filipino cuisine in sync with the micro-batch ice cream craftsmanship of Marcelo's Microcreamery. "I chose to launch it here because of our values," shared Marcelo's Microcreamery founder John Marcelo. "This restaurant in particular has a very rich history, aligned with a name, and we're both writing a new chapter for tomorrow."
How do you translate a warm Filipino memory into a cold, premium treat? A quick look at the initial repertoire of flavors released by Marcelo's Microcreamery reveals a recognition of key strategic consumer insights anchored on food provenance and a surge in "patriotic consumerism." Marcelo Microcreamery responds with proudly homegrown creations executed with world-class precision and mastery. In one bold move, Marcelo Microcreamery forever changes the typical monologue of the supermarket freezer aisle filled with the usual chocolate, rocky road and vanilla with inspired local flavors like Inutak, Mangga't Suman, Ube Macapuno Champorado, Latik-Latik, Bilo-Bilo and Chocolate Champorado from the brand's Heritage line. And what differentiates the nostalgic and decadent Heritage line of Marcelo's Microcreamery from the rest? It's made with coconut cream and coconut milk for a distinctly Filipino touch and lusciously smooth finish.
But changing the familiar narrative of ice cream flavors in the supermarket shelves isn't the only goal high up in John Marcelo's agenda. He's on a mission to elevate the standard of local ice cream, honoring Filipino nationality, heritage and the Marcelo family name. The result is a world-class line of proudly local ice cream flavors that triggers fond memories of countless childhood summers redefining the ice cream experience while warming the palate, transporting you to a different place and time. It's always been said that food is memory, with each note recreating memorable moments. And now, Marcelo's Microcreamery transforms these memories and moments into frozen promises relived and enjoyed with each scoop and pint.
John Marcelo fondly recalled the moment when the idea for a premium ice cream showcasing local flavors lit up one rainy Sunday morning while enjoying a comforting bowl of hot champorado. A visit to the ice cream section at the supermarket later that day revealed the usual options. Searching through freezers filled with foreign flavors, it somehow lacked the "language we all know to speak, our own comfort food," shared John Marcelo. Home after all isn't just a place. It's a flavor.
Satisfying the growing demand for local luxury meant producing everything in-house and going straight to the Filipino farmer for the finest ingredients. John Marcelo didn't compromise on the promise, he went the extra mile to make the experience and connection real. You just can't fake the taste of home with industrial shortcuts. Marcelo Microcreamery constantly bridges the gap between traditional cooking and modern manufacturing with each small batch from their Heritage line.
In a shared vision of Filipino excellence, Marcelo's Microcreamery also introduced a novel collab with acclaimed Chef Nouel Catis with three variants for the Collaboration line led by the dairy-based Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate. The viral sensation is expressed in yet another form matched by the artisanal small batch passion of Marcelo's Microcreamery. Two more flavors from the collaboration are expected to be part of the roster soon. From the Heritage line to the collaborative offerings with Chef Nouele Catis, Marcelo Microcreamery is ready for a bigger scoop of the competitive premium ice cream market. John Marcelo is no stranger to competition, his family's racing legacy lives on from his father's successful racing career in the Asian circuit and his older brother Jovy Marcelo's milestone as the only Filipino in the US IndyCar series to his son Stefano's achievements as Philippine and Asian champion. John Marcelo brings this same passionate spirit in raising the national colors with local flavors in the global ice cream stage. But's it's time to join John Marcelo in a flavorful journey with Marcelo's Microcreamery...
...with an exclusive ice cream flight experience at Romulo Cafe. Each flavor from the Heritage line of Marcelo's Microcreamery is paired with Romulo Cafe's signature desserts for an interactive dessert experience. John Marcelo leads your flight into comfortingly familiar flavors reimagined in ice cream...
...with the Inutak, smoked ube rice pudding in coconut flavored ice cream topped with crisp ube turon. In a delectable play of contrasting textures and flavors, the first course of the flight is an homage to the rustic ube-infused glutinous rice delicacy draped in rich coconut custard with just a whisper of smoky hints from the traditional fireside baking process. With its coconut cream base, the Inutak by Marcelo's Microcreamery leaves a lingering richness on the palate followed by subtle sweet and nutty notes.
For John Marcelo, recreating the flavors of Inutak was all about "the quiet drama of its beautifully toasted surface" and the fireside memory of its smoke-kissed hints. The familiar notes are slowly released as it melts with each bite. The side of ube turon completes the play on comfortingly familiar flavors and textures. The smoked glutinous rice infused with ube layered with coconut custard and gently baked to a golden finish transformed into a frozen treat is an homage to traditional cooking, and for many of us a reminder of the flavors of home.
For the second flight, the Ube Macapuno Champorado was served with langka turon. Imagine ube rice pudding elegantly folded in creamy coconut ice cream, reminiscent of weekends at home. For John Marcelo, memories of Purple Sundays meant festive celebrations. The Ube Macapuno Champorado brings the same kind of excitement to any table highlighted by its distinctive and vibrant purple hue.
The flavors are rich and deep with floral and earthy notes perfectly recreating the purple Sunday vibe of youth completed by the delectable play on textural contrasts by the langka turon. Moments and memories from the past that still resonate are given new life for another frozen promise fulfilled by Marcelo's Microcreamery.
Memories of elders stirring a pot of coconut milk and that magical moment when it's transformed into curd becomes the inspiration for Latik-Latik, an aromatic ice cream expression with toasted coconut curd suspended in rich coconut ice cream. Paired with fried suman, the Latik-Latik captures the moment through its creamy richness and just a hint of toasted notes for yet another nostalgic journey back in time.
Each luscious spoonful warms the palate with its comforting notes, like a proper reward for that long, tedious and slow stir in creating the coconut curds. The deep and luscious richness of the coconut cream base and toasted coconut curds combine for an indulgent and even elevated take on familiar flavors in ice cream form, perfectly executed by Marcelo's Microcreamery.
Memories of summer road trips and weekend getaways become the backdrop for the fourth flight with the Mangga't Suman paired with caramel sans rival. The intricate and elegant blend of mango sorbet with dense, mildly chewy sticky rice coconut ice cream comes together in a luscious and seamless weave. The vibrant notes from the mango sorbet deliver a delectable sharpness like a carefree summer day tempered by the rounded, creamy and nutty richness of the sticky rice coconut ice cream.
The bright mildly tart sweetness of the mango sorbet brings back the promise of endless summers from our youth caressed by the richness of the sticky rice coconut ice cream as it slowly melts on the palate. The contrasting notes from the mango sorbet and sticky coconut ice cream pair well with its delicately balanced finish just like the summers we all enjoyed. More than just the flavor, Marcelo's Microcreamery recreates that mood and emotion that completes the experience.
The fifth flight triggers the "treasure hunt" mode in you, recreating those days of deep dives with a spoon searching for chewy rice balls and jackfruit in a bowl guinataang bilo-bilo. The Bilo-Bilo with macapuno mochi, sweetened banana, sweet potato and jackfruit blended in ube coconut ice cream becomes your new search area replacing the bowl with a pint. And yes, you'll find those elusive chewy rice balls and jackfruit too in the pint. Topped with leche flan, the Bilo-Bilo by Marcelo Microcreamery is a playful yet sentimental recreation of traditional flavors in a pint.
Just like your favorite bowl of guinataan, that creamy coconut milk base ties everything together. With its stellar cast of guinataan staples, the Bilo-Bilo is a faithful rendition of a beloved delicacy. Staying true to the original dish keeps the Heritage line by Marcelo's Microcreamery real, with just the right strings to pull open your data bank of stored memories after each spoonful.
For the sixth flight, Marcelo Microcreamery presented its newest soon to be available creation, the Chocolate Champorado with dark tablea chocolate and real rice pudding churned into grainy yet velvety smooth coconut ice cream. Who doesn't have memories with a bowl of champorado to save the day from chilly mornings and rainy afternoons? Like a much-needed hug in ice cream form, the Chocolate Champorado saves the day once more in its elegant transformation from the Heritage line of Marcelo's Microcreamery.
The use of heritage tablea adds a flavorful depth to the ice cream creation, elegantly smoothened by the rice pudding coconut ice cream for a delicately balanced finish. Topped with tinapa brittle, that sweet, salty, smoky and chocolatey finish we all love now comes in a frozen pint. And Marcelo's Microcreamery nails it in both flavor and mood for another proper yet inventive take on enduring flavors.
That depth of flavor and dense texture releasing bold chocolate notes as it slowly melts makes this frozen champorado rendition one of the best I've tried yet, this one's high up on my list of personal picks. And the Chocolate Champorado is guaranteed to make you feel happy, even on a rainy day.
And finally, from the Collaboration line of Marcelo's Microcreamery is the much anticipated dairy-based Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate by Chef Nouel Catis. The viral global sensation is elegantly expressed in ice cream by Marcelo's Microcreamery with toasted, crunchy kunafa suspended in pistachio cream and swirled in dark chocolate. "The true alignment here is Filipino Excellence," stated John Marcelo. "Chef Nouel was the perfect fit. His viral creation took the world by storm, and together we are doing something different...taking our local tastes from the Philippines to the world."
That childlike thrill of trying something for the first time with the creations from the Collaboration line of Marcelo's Microcreamery becomes another layer in your ice cream experience. In a special collab, Chef Nouel Catis and Marcelo's Microcreamery transformed the viral sensation into a frozen reality while becoming the bridge to bringing Filipino excellence to the global stage. From the unique sweet nutty hints of pistachio cream and crunchy kunafa to the lavish richness of dark chocolate, the Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate by Marcelo's Microcreamery and Chef Nouel Catis may just bring the same level of viral excitement to the ice cream category. The Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate is the first offering from the Collaboration line by Marcelo's Microcreamery and Chef Nouel Catis with two more variants expected for release soon.
What began as a desire to fill in the gap in the supermarket aisle with local flavors has become a promise going beyond the pint. More than just another brand in the premium ice cream category, it's a promise fulfilled in recreating moments and memories with world-class ice cream renditions for the bigger global stage. And John Marcelo's vision and story for Marcelo's Microcreamery is ours too, changing the narrative one scoop at a time.
Where to buy Marcelo's Microcreamery? The Marcelo's Microcreamery Heritage line is now available at Landers Superstore, The Marketplace, Robinsons Supermarket, Shopwise, Romulo Cafe and other select partner restaurants nationwide with an initial SRP of P 469 per pint. Pick a pint, and rediscover the flavors you've always loved reimagined in ice cream.
For more on Marcelo's Microcreamery, visit their FB Page and IG Feed at https://www.facebook.com/MarcelosMicrocreamery and https://www.instagram.com/marcelosmicrocreamery/ for more information and updates.
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