We all know that getting a share in the ice cream market is tougher than getting enrolled in Cambridge or Ivy League Universities. Yet, the two brothers decided to crack the competition together.
Oppo Ice Cream did not present a new concept at the Den; it was just another healthy ice cream brand that wanted to cater to a certain health-conscious consumer base. Nothing at all was unique about the brand or the business.
What did the Dragons do to this redundant ice cream company? Let’s find out.
Oppo Ice Cream at a Glance:
| Idea | Healthy ice cream |
| Founders | Charlie Thuillier and Henry Thuillier |
| Asked For | £60,000 For 7% |
| Accepted Deal | Did not get a deal |
| Dragon | None |
| Business status | Active |
| Episode No. | Season 13, Episode 15 |
Index:
What is Oppo Ice Cream?
Oppo Ice Cream is an ice cream company that was founded in 2013. It markets a special sort of ice cream made from fresh meadow-grazed cow’s milk, stevia leaf, and coconut oil with a fraction of the calories and sugar found in regular ice cream.
Oppo launched 117 Waitrose stores in 2014. In 2015, Oppo became the fastest food and drink company to reach its target through crowdfunding.
The Guardian named them their start-up of the year and one of the founders even went to Milan with the Prime Minister to showcase the British innovation.
In 2018, the company was officially launched in Germany, Belgium, Finland, and Luxembourg.
It also launched in France a year later and in Denmark after that. The company is rapidly expanding and its revenue is positively increasing every year.
Who are the Founders of Oppo Ice Cream?
Brothers Charlie and Henry Thuillier founded Oppo Ice Cream in 2013 after their Brazilian adventure in 2011 where they scavenged coconuts and subsequently fell in love with their taste.
Charlie has a Bachelor’s in Arts from the University of York and Henry has a Bachelor’s in Arts from Durham University.
Quoting the founders directly as to why they started Oppo Ice Cream,
“We’re two brothers (Harry & Charlie) on a mission to change the way people eat by creating amazingly tasty foods that don’t compromise on health or the planet. Here’s our story.
Brazilian Sunset With A Kite Buggy And Images Of Charlie & Harry’s Brazil Trip.
It all started in Brazil when we decided to break a record for the longest distance travelled by kite power on land. The buggies we used had no brakes and we had about two hours of kite experience between us.
It was like learning to swim by crossing the channel. We often had to drag our buggies over 30 miles through mangrove swamps, and subsequently ran out of food. This meant foraging for wild fruit and coconuts along the Brazilian coastline.
These tasted amazing and were nutritious too. That was the lightbulb moment. Why couldn’t all food be like that? What if you could indulge in sweet treats, without having loads of sugar and nasty additives?
1,000km later, we made it!
On our return, Charlie immediately got into the kitchen and didn’t leave it for two years (except to sleep on Harry’s sofa). The goal? Healthy ice cream. In other words, temptation you never need to resist.”
Did Oppo Ice Cream get a deal on Dragon’s Den?
The brothers presented a full-service demonstration to the Dragons covering every flavor the company had on offer, the financial data presented also seemed to be quite promising but the Dragons had other opinions.
The fierce competition in the ice cream market kept the Dragons from investing in the business. One of the Dragons also remarked that he wouldn’t touch the company with a barge pole.
The Dragons were quick to show the exit door to the adventurous brothers after labeling their business ‘risky’ but little did they know about what was about to follow.
What happened to Oppo Ice Cream after Dragon’s Den?
Oppo Ice Cream is a direct-to-consumer business and it knocked out the search indexes quickly after the Dragon’s Den effect came into play.
They also went on to more than triple their crowdfunding targets in the same year which amounted to north of £300,000. Tennis player Andy Murray also ended up investing in the company after he fell in love with the product.
The company subsequently was given space in Waitrose at 117 locations.
Further on, the company made successful international forays in Europe and also in South-East Asian nations. Slowly, the company grew to be a mammoth in terms of revenue and net worth.
The company now plans to plant trees as its management must be clueless as to what they should do next because the product seems to be selling itself :p
Product Details:
- It is a low-calorie ice cream.
- It tastes exactly like normal high-calorie ice cream.
- It is available in multiple flavors
- Its price is comparable to ordinary ice cream.
- It is available in thousands of retail chains in Europe, the US, and Indonesia.
- It can be ordered through Amazon as well.
Competitors of Oppo Ice Cream:
Oppo Ice Cream faced immense competition in the ‘impossible’ ice cream market from the day its founders even thought of the idea of starting it up.
From multinational companies to cottage companies, one can name thousands of competitors to Oppo.
Let’s play a name game for five of them:
What is the Net Worth of Oppo Ice Cream?
The brothers offered the Dragons to invest in their ice cream at a valuation of £860,000; this offer was shoved away by the Dragons who considered the business to be ‘too risky’ and not at all investible.
Fast forward ten years the company is reported to be worth at least £86 million with rapidly increasing revenue and soaring profit margins yearly.
It would be more than safe to say that the Dragons made themselves poor by not investing in the business.
Is Oppo Ice Cream still in Business?
Yes, Oppo Ice Cream is in business as of 2023 and is expanding globally at a colossal rate.
The company has set foot into South East Asia and will be looking forward to entering more Indo-Pacific markets that offer diversity which is a necessity for Oppo Ice Cream to prosper.
Top university Entrance exams have a very low selection rate but it is imperative to understand that they do select people after all. Oppo Ice Cream has successfully aced the exam of the IMPOSSIBLE ICE CREAM MARKET!!
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FAQs:
What is Oppo Ice Cream?
Oppo Ice Cream is an ice cream company that was founded in 2013. It markets a special sort of ice cream made from fresh meadow-grazed cow’s milk, stevia leaf, and coconut oil with a fraction of the calories and sugar found in regular ice cream.
What's the net worth of Oppo Ice Cream?
Fast forward ten years the company is reported to be worth at least £86 million with rapidly increasing revenue and soaring profit margins yearly. It would be more than safe to say that the Dragons made themselves poor by not investing in the business.