WE Today: What were the biggest struggles and challenges faced during the early days of Asharfi Kulfi? NEELAM: No Freezers: Keeping kulfi frozen in Gujarat’s heat meant relying on grueling manual labor with ice-
and-salt matkas. Market Shift: Convincing locals to choose rich, dense kulfi over trendy, light commercial ice
creams.
WE Today: Can you tell us how the journey of Asharfi Kulfi first began and what inspired your family to start this beautiful legacy in Ahmedabad?
NEELAM: Started as a small stall at Law Garden, Ahmedabad, with a mission to sell authentic, slow-churned rabdi kulfi. The name “Asharfi” (gold coin) represented their commitment to pure, premium quality.
WE Today: Starting from a small stall at Law Garden to becoming a loved heritage brand, how has this journey been for your family emotionally and professionally?
NEELAM: Professional: Scaled from a single street vendor setup into a structured, standardized heritage brand. Emotional: Evolved from a basic livelihood into immense pride as a beloved symbol of Ahmedabad’s food culture.
WE Today: In the early days, what were the biggest challenges your family faced while introducing traditional kulfi to the people of Ahmedabad?
NEELAM: Faced with rising costs and local zoning issues at Law Garden, the family refused to cut corners or use cheaper ingredients. They modernized production but kept the recipes strictly traditional, securing their legacy.
WE Today: Was there ever a moment when things became very difficult and you thought about giving up? How did you overcome that phase?
NEELAM The breaking point came during municipal clearing drives at Law Garden, which temporarily stripped them of their spot and income. Instead of quitting, they used the crisis to transition from vulnerable street vending into their first permanent storefront.
WE Today: During the journey of building Asharfi Kulfi, what was the most challenging phase for your family, and how did you overcome it?
NEELAM: The hardest phase was scaling up. It was incredibly difficult to mass-produce traditional, slow- reduced rabdi kulfi without losing its signature thickness and flavor as costs rose. They overcame this by investing in custom machinery that replicated the traditional slowcooking process, maintaining quality at scale.
WE Today: What lessons from your family’s journey still guide you while running the brand today?
NEELAM: Quality over Profit: Never compromise on raw materials (like pure milk and real saffron), even when costs rise. Resilience: View operational crises—like losing a physical spot—as an opportunity to pivot and grow stronger.
WE Today: How important was the support of family, especially Late Smt. Premvati Ramchandra Gupta, in shaping Asharfi Kulfi’s success story?
NEELAM: The Backbone: Family support was everything. In the early street-vendor days, the business demanded grueling hours that required everyone to pitch in.
Late Smt. Premvati Ramchandra Gupta: As a foundational pillar, she anchored the family through the toughest financial struggles. Her dedication, emotional strength, and adherence to traditional kitchen discipline shaped the brand’s work ethic and kept the family united behind a single dream.