Mangaluru: Raghunandan Srinivas Kamath, the founder of Naturals Ice Cream, passed away in Mumbai on May 17. He was 70.
Kamath, who was born and raised in the coastal city of Mulki of Mangaluru Taluk, created a famous brand known for its unique, fruit-based flavors that captivated ice cream enthusiasts with their ‘Natural’ taste.
The diverse flavors of the ice cream captivated ice cream lovers with their authentic ‘natural’ taste. Among the popular flavors are Sitaphal, Tender Coconut, Jackfruit, Muskmelon, and Kala Jamun. The Tender Coconut flavor is listed in the TOP 100 most iconic ice creams in the world by Taste Atlas.
Born in Mulki in 1957, Kamath’s early life involved assisting his father, a mango vendor, where he developed a deep connection with fruits. He left Mangaluru for Mumbai. At the age of 14, Kamath left school to work at his brother’s eatery, Gokul Refreshments. He envisioned creating handcrafted ice creams with real fruit pulp.
With steadfast determination and a small team of six staff members, Kamath launched the first Naturals Ice Cream parlor in the Juhu Scheme suburbs of Mumbai.
Initially offering 12 flavors, the brand expanded to include a wide variety of unique flavors, such as cucumber, prasadam, gajar halwa, and tilgul, alongside its signature fruit flavors. The brand offers over 20 flavors at any given time.
Under Kamath’s leadership, Naturals Ice Cream grew into a thriving business with over Rs. 300 crore in annual turnover and more than 165 outlets across 15 states in India.
