The cool dreamer behind sweet success

For many people, ice cream is comfort — a sweet pause in the middle of an ordinary day. For Gerald Grana, it became something bigger: A passion project born during the uncertainty of the pandemic that eventually transformed into a fast-growing Filipino brand with a social purpose.

Today, Magic Scoops is steadily becoming a recognizable name among dessert lovers for its indulgent flavors, generous mix-ins, and premium quality. But behind every scoop is a story of experimentation, perseverance, and a businessman determined to build more than just another ice cream company.

Despite the growing recognition, Grana remains grounded in the same values that shaped the company from the start: patience, resilience and purpose.

Grana’s journey began in 2020 during the lockdowns brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Like many Filipinos suddenly forced to stay home, he found himself searching for something productive to do. A self-confessed sweet tooth, he turned to creating desserts in his kitchen, eventually experimenting with homemade ice cream recipes while binge-watching Netflix.

“At that time, I didn’t even have a machine,” Grana recalled. “I started with the most basic flavor — vanilla.”

From there, the experimentation grew. Cookies and cream, salted caramel, chocolate and other flavor combinations slowly emerged from his makeshift kitchen laboratory. What began as curiosity soon evolved into something more serious. Before long, he was already selling around 12 to 14 flavors through Facebook Marketplace.

Still, Grana knew he had to be strategic. Instead of overwhelming customers with unusual experimental creations, he focused on a core lineup of familiar crowd favorites. He believed people needed to trust the basics first before embracing bolder concepts.

Building that trust, however, was not easy.

Additional courage flavor

Starting a food business during a pandemic demanded courage and relentless effort. Without a major marketing budget, Grana relied on one simple strategy: sampling. He introduced Magic Scoops to neighbors, children and families within his subdivision, letting the product speak for itself.

Word-of-mouth eventually did the rest.

As orders increased, the homegrown brand expanded beyond the neighborhood and entered third-party delivery platforms. The momentum surprised even Grana himself.

Over time, his ambitions also grew. What started as a small home-based operation evolved into bigger milestones: opening a standalone store, presenting the brand to investors and eventually bringing Magic Scoops to an international stage.

Confidence, according to him, became one of the most important tools of entrepreneurship.

But what truly separates Magic Scoops from many local brands is not just the flavor profile — it is the company’s advocacy.

The magic moved from one community to another

Grana describes Magic Scoops as a social enterprise. Instead of sourcing ingredients solely based on convenience or low prices, he intentionally works with dairy cooperatives, fruit farmers, and local producers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Whenever possible, he buys their products slightly above market value to help communities often disadvantaged by middlemen.

He also looks for opportunities to utilize excess produce that might otherwise go to waste.

“There are times when farmers experience overproduction and their fruits are simply thrown away,” he explained. “If I can turn those into puree or ingredients for ice cream, then maybe I can help.”

For Grana, business should not exist solely for profit. While he acknowledges the realities of running a company — managing margins, investors and operations — he believes entrepreneurship should also create opportunities for others.

That philosophy extends to the quality of his products. Rather than cutting costs through heavy additives or extenders, he prioritizes natural ingredients whenever possible.

To spread the magic beyond

As demand for Magic Scoops continues to grow, Grana is now preparing for larger-scale production through third-party manufacturing partnerships. He envisions the brand entering supermarkets, convenience stores, and even theme parks.

At the same time, his entrepreneurial journey is opening unexpected doors. Earlier this year, Grana presented Magic Scoops before international investors in Bangkok, eventually becoming one of the finalists in a startup forum featuring hundreds of participants across Southeast Asia.

Even beyond the competition itself, the exposure led to collaborations and new opportunities, including discussions with international partners interested in his research and development expertise.

Still, despite the growing recognition, Grana remains grounded in the same values that shaped the company from the start: patience, resilience and purpose.

He often reminds aspiring entrepreneurs that success does not happen overnight. Timing matters. Systems matter. Hard work matters. Most importantly, passion matters.

“If you’re planning to start a business,” he said, “it has to be something you truly love — something you’ll happily work on at three in the morning.”

For Grana, every scoop represents more than dessert. It carries the smiles of children during birthday parties, memories shared between friends, and moments of comfort for families.