The reminiscence of eagerly unwrapping a White Rabbit sweet and munching on the edible rice paper earlier than popping the candy into our mouths is probably going one that the majority of us can relate to. A valuable a part of our childhood, White Rabbit candies had been all the time a welcome deal with.
To your delight, you’ve additionally seemingly lately seen an elevated presence of White Rabbit merchandise round — resembling the broader number of sweet flavours and ice cream bars within the freezer on the grocer, otherwise you’re recognizing it at your favorite bakeries round city.
You’ll have Lydia Kuan to thank for this. As Director of Hao Meals SG, the unique importer of White Rabbit ice cream in Singapore, Lydia has labored with White Rabbit to deliver us new meals objects and collaborations. To this point, we’ve had White Rabbit ice cream cruffins, White Rabbit affogato, plushies, tote luggage and extra. And Hao Meals SG is just getting began!
We meet up with Lydia to listen to her ardour for White Rabbit, the inspiration behind White Rabbit merchandise, and what we are able to anticipate from them subsequent.
Inform us about your self, resembling the way you got here to be the director of Hao Meals SG.
Earlier than Hao Meals, I used to be an writer and media persona in Taiwan, and I wrote a journey ebook titled ‘Go Busan’ that was launched in main bookstores in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. My ebook, written in a lighthearted approach, was a simple information for folks travelling to or taken with travelling to Korea. It was all about being gung-ho and courageous about attempting new issues whereas integrating with locals of the nation and their tradition.
That’s one thing that I’d prefer to suppose I deliver to the desk as effectively with Hao Meals SG, and with the White Rabbit model — to take one thing folks know so effectively and put a recent and enjoyable twist on it.
As for a way I joined Hao Meals SG, I’ve recognized the Hao Meals SG founder, Dave Fu, for a very long time, and we beforehand labored on different tasks. We had discussions about bringing again this well-loved nostalgic model — the White Rabbit creamy sweet — and placing a spin on it.
Why is White Rabbit so particular to you?
Having grown up in Singapore, the White Rabbit sweet was a core a part of my childhood. I recall working to the mama store after college to get it as a snack — and even being ‘bribed’ with White Rabbit candies by my aunties so I might behave effectively!
I imagine many different individuals who grew up in Singapore within the pre-2000s even have related fond recollections of the White Rabbit sweet.
That’s form of the sensation we need to create now — to evoke heat and acquainted recollections and nostalgia with those that grew up with the White Rabbit model, and to succeed in out to a brand new era of sweet lovers to deliver them that magical feeling.
It’s form of like passing down a torch. At lots of our latest occasions and pop-ups, like our collaboration with Keong Saik Bakery, we noticed numerous mother and father — who seemingly grew up with White Rabbit like I did — bringing their children to attempt our White Rabbit ice cream. They bonded and created new recollections over the White Rabbit ice cream and sweet! Therefore, the intangible connection to White Rabbit, like these moments, is what makes it actually particular to me.
What are the inspirations behind new White Rabbit sweet flavours, and the collaborations with well-known native manufacturers?
There’s nonetheless a really robust love and affinity for White Rabbit amongst Singaporeans even right this moment. It’s a really nostalgic model, it evokes loads of heat, constructive emotions of halcyon days. And that’s one thing we nonetheless need to preserve, even now.
What we need to do is replace the model and introduce it to a brand new era of Singaporeans, whereas additionally sustaining that reference to its long-time followers.
We’ve completed this by remixing the basic sweet, resembling creating stick ice cream and our uber-popular ice cream cup, each of which retain the acquainted creamy texture and flavour of the unique sweet.
A number of the different new flavours of the White Rabbit sweet we’ve embody crimson bean, mustard, espresso, prune and yoghurt. One among my favorite new merchandise is a specifically crafted sweet tin that doubles up as a tissue field!
For collaborations with locations like Chin Mee Chin and Keong Saik Bakery, we needed to create experiences. These are beloved manufacturers that persons are conversant in — very similar to White Rabbit; I needed to current White Rabbit in a recent and enjoyable approach.
So with the Chin Mee Chin collab, we served up ice cream alongside basic eggs and toast, together with a enjoyable vary of retro toppings for the ice cream, like rainbow sprinkles and gem biscuits.
At Keong Saik Bakery, we created an affogato and a cruffin with our ice cream, which individuals actually beloved as effectively. For me, it’s about turning the basic sweet flavour into new and fashionable iterations to proceed to thrill.
What function does Hao Meals play in creating White Rabbit merchandise and merchandise?
We work very carefully with White Rabbit headquarters and the father or mother firm, offering suggestions on what Singaporean prospects love, like our ice cream cups. We’ve additionally been working carefully with them to experiment with making a Halal model of the sweet!
What’s your private favorite White Rabbit product?
I like the White Rabbit reminiscence foam pillow! It’s not solely lovely as a huge sweet however extraordinarily comfy and huggable. That is our best-selling product so I suppose many individuals adore it as a lot as I do.
What are some native White Rabbit collaborations we are able to look ahead to in 2023?
For Chinese language New Yr, we labored with native model Chang Ho Sek and created White Rabbit mahjong cookies and Keong Saik Bakery for a Valentine’s Day collaboration.
At the moment, we’re seeking to create new merchandise in time for Easter! We even have a number of extra thrilling collabs we’ve to maintain below wraps for now — however I’ll say that we’re working with a number of different homegrown F&B gamers, like a very common bar and an superior pizza joint.
Any new White Rabbit flavours or merchandise hitting the cabinets quickly?
Sure! We’re bringing in additional new White Rabbit-themed goodies and different thrilling variants of the sweet and ice cream — followers can keep tuned to our Instagram web page, @haofoodsg, for the most recent updates.
Supply: Her World
