Kuld Creamery

After moving to Perth, owners Mati and Kaitlyn Kuld found themselves craving the type of icy treats they grew up within North America.

Unable to find items to satisfy their taste buds, the solution became clear: they would just have to make it themselves. Experimentation quickly became a passion that, not long afterwards, became these ice cream lovers' livelihoods.

Mati grew up in Toronto, while Kaitlyn hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan. They met by chance in Tennessee, and after a long-distance romance, Kaitlyn relocated to Canada. However, having spent time living in Melbourne in his early 20s, Mati always felt the pull to return Down Under.

When the pair landed in Perth in 2015, it was at first their starting point, but turned out to become their home. "The adventure of moving somewhere new together sounded fun and exciting," explains Kaitlyn. "We came to check out Freo the day after we arrived in Perth and fell in love with the chilled beach vibes and everything it had to offer. It's a truly special place, with a mix of great food, arts and coastal living." However, it was a little while before they could also set up shop.

The couple had spied a shop in a heritage building on Essex Street that needed a little love. One problem, it wasn't available for lease. So, the Kulds turned their focus to another unused urban space, and in December 2016 turned a laneway between a car park and a café in Highgate into a cosy nook, dishing out sweet ice scoops in the evenings.

However, that little Fremantle shop stayed in back of their minds, and after contacting the landlords a few more times, they were finally able to negotiate a lease. Their Essex Street store opened in late 2017 and has been a hit ever since. "Something unique and soulful was born by keeping that cosy feeling of the laneway but mixing it with a little more of a Freo vibe," Kaitlyn says.

What makes Kuld's ice cream taste good? Everything is made from scratch made using locally sourced ethical dairy with vegan ice cream made with cashew cream and organic coconut milk. Baked cookies, caramels, fudges, and fruit jams are made in-house, then folded through their signature bases. "Each base is tweaked depending on what the finished flavour will be," explains Kaitlyn. "So, if we have a very sweet mix-in or swirl, we will balance that by knocking down the sweetness of the base itself, so we end up with an ice cream that is balanced, delicious and unique."

Each month, visitors can choose from six different flavours made in small batches.

While some flavours might only be available once, others pop up more frequently. Crowd favourites include London Fog, a smooth combination of Earl Grey tea and vanilla bean, or Lemon Butter with Poppyseed Shortbread that is a little bit tart and a little bit creamy, and a whole lot of delicious. Gameday - a caramel ice cream with pretzels, candied peanuts, Chex cereal and potato crisps - is clearly inspired by their Northern American roots. Their October flavours are always a blast, as Kuld celebrates Halloween in true North American fashion.

"Our ice cream plays with familiar flavours while giving them a bit of a spin with our own personal touch," says Kaitlyn. The result is inspired combinations that bring out the kid in all of us.

KULD HOME DELIVERY Wednesday and Friday to Perth Metro delivering north as far as Joondalup and south to Rockingham.

Photo credit: Kuld Creamery