People’s Champion finalist 2016: Oppo ice cream

Start-up name: Oppo ice cream
Founders: Charlie and Harry Thuillier
Started in: October 2014
Based in: London
Business description: Indulgent, healthy ice cream made from milk, coconut oil and stevia leaf

Shortlisted categories:

Crowdfunded Business of the Year, Innovative Business of the Year

The Oppo ice cream story:

The words ‘ice cream’ and ‘healthy’ don’t normally go hand in hand but Oppo offers exactly that.

All natural and made from fresh milk, virgin coconut oil and stevia leaf, Oppo’s ice cream range contains 60% fewer calories and sugars than regular ice cream and holds the title of the first dairy ice cream within the UK to legally call themselves healthy via an EU Authorised Health Claim.

The brainchild of entrepreneurial brothers Charlie and Harry Thuillier, who were inspired to launch an indulgent healthy range following a trip to Brazil, Oppo took 25 months to develop to get “just right” and the proof is – excuse the pun – in the pudding.

Now stocked in over 1,500 stores including Waitrose, Co-op, Ocado, Wholefoods, Holland and Barrett, Budgens, and Amazon Fresh, the Thuillier’s food brand has racked up a number of notable accolades including a 2016 Great Taste Award 2016, press coverage in publications such as Vogue and The Guardian and being selected by David Cameron for a Milan trade mission. Sir Richard Branson even named Oppo “the most promising start-up of the year.”

Support from the public appears to attest to Branson’s claim. Over 650 crowd investors have backed Oppo across two crowdfunding rounds on Seedrs – totalling £650,000. Its first round in January 2015 saw it become the fastest-ever FMCG company to reach its crowdfunding target while its most recent crowdfunding round, which took place in February 2016, attracted support from Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.

Why Oppo ice cream made our shortlist:

Unique, loved by crowd investors and stockists alike, and with two inspiring young founders at its helm, Oppo is most definitely a start-up to watch. Oppo believes you shouldn’t have to compromise on health and indulgence and we couldn’t agree more.

Where to find out more about Oppo ice cream:

Website:  http://www.oppoicecream.co.uk/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/OppoIceCream