An ice cream brand in China, Zhong Xue Gao (钟薛高), or ChiceCream, has come under fire after some consumers realised that it does not melt, even when intense heat is applied.
Several photos and videos of Chicecream’s Sea Salt Coconut ice cream popsicle have been making the rounds on Chinese social media platform Weibo and the internet. Perhaps the most compelling of the lot was a video that showed the popsicle withstanding the fiery heat from a blowtorch. In the video, a man can be seen torching a blue and cream-coloured Sea Salt Coconut popsicle with a butane blowtorch.
For those who are unaware, a blowtorch can minimally reach a temperature of at least 1,200°C, while ice cream melts at sub-zero temperatures, depending on its composition. An ice cream product ought to melt as soon as temperatures go above 0°C.
However, this was not the case for ChiceCream’s logic-and heat-defying popsicle, which merely turned brown, and started to char in the video whilst under harsh direct flame.
There are also photos showing the ice cream popsicle remaining in a pristine form despite being left outside at room temperature (31°C) for over 50 minutes. The popsicle remained and retained its shape and appeared to have molten globby texture when the ice cream stick was lifted up.
Known widely as the “Hermès of ice cream” in China, ChiceCream prides itself as a luxury ice cream brand equivalent to renowned Western brands, such as Magnum and Häagen-Dazs. It is priced exorbitantly: upwards ¥ 66 or SGD13.80 a pop.
The brand’s founder explained the high price point in a 2021 interview, claiming that all of ChiceCream’s products were made using 100 per cent natural and non-processed premium ingredients.
However, the photos and videos of the hardy ice cream popsicle proved otherwise, and many have begun to wonder if it is loaded with additives and chemicals instead.
Also Read: Heritage Structure “Uprooted” And “Re-Planted” In China’s Shanghai
