Elaka: Crafting Connection Through Culture and Frozen Desserts

Across the food industry, growing attention is being placed on how products are made, where ingredients come from and the narratives that communicate their origin and authenticity. Within this environment, Elaka is positioning itself as an artisanal frozen dessert manufacturing business focused on bringing global flavors into a format that is both accessible and thoughtfully produced.

According to its founder, Shafna Shamsuddin, the company develops frozen desserts that blend the textures of ice cream and gelato, combining elements of both to create a distinct, natural and wholesome flavor profile. “Elaka is structured around a clear production approach, with an emphasis on consistency, ingredient quality and flavor development rooted in cultural inspiration,” she says.

Shamsuddin explains that the foundation of Elaka came from a personal starting point, though she believes the business has since evolved into something broader. “I was born and raised in the UAE, with parents from Kerala, a small state in Southern India,” she says. “I used to be very homesick and lonely in my initial days away from home. I come from a cultural background that revolves around community, food and flavors, so missing home meant missing that sense of belonging and flavors.” She adds that this early influence continues to shape how the brand approaches its products today.

That experience eventually led her to begin experimenting with ways to recreate those familiar tastes and connections. One traditional dessert made with plantains stood out as something she wanted to revisit, though she chose to approach it differently. Rather than reproducing it in its original form, she adapted it into a frozen dessert, creating something that could be preserved and revisited whenever she longed for home. Over time, she began to consider how others might connect to similar experiences of nostalgia and belonging. This process became the foundation for a broader exploration of how traditional flavors could be translated into a new format.

“Achieving the balance between the density of gelato and the smoothness of ice cream involved a lot of testing and adjustment,” she says. “It takes practice to understand how ingredients behave together. You have to keep refining until the texture and flavor feel right.”

Shamsuddin points to this hands-on process of creating unique bases as a key differentiator for the brand. According to her, Elaka’s products are shaped by a strong culinary and technical understanding, where each flavor is built with attention to how ingredients interact and how they reflect their origins. “Each flavor draws from regional cuisines, family traditions or widely recognized dishes, translated into a frozen dessert that retains a sense of familiarity,” she says. “It allows us to introduce diverse flavors while keeping them natural and approachable.”

Shamsuddin says ingredient selection remains a key priority for her, with Elaka using natural and sustainably sourced inputs across its products. She notes that this approach aligns with growing consumer focus on transparency while supporting both quality and authenticity. “When you start with real ingredients, the end result feels more honest,” she says. “People can recognize that difference.”

From an operational standpoint, Elaka incorporates a wholesale model, working with retail partners to bring its products into broader market settings. For Shamsuddin, this strong operational foundation supports wider distribution and scale while maintaining consistency in how its products are produced and presented.

As the business develops, Elaka aims to continue its expansion of flavors and explore new cultural influences. “My goal is to build a portfolio that reflects a wide variety of culinary traditions, each adapted into the brand’s frozen dessert format while continuing to build a community,” says Shamsuddin.

She also notes that the company focuses on working with partners who value quality and consistency, helping ensure the product is experienced as intended. For her, this approach supports steady expansion built on alignment and operational discipline.

Looking ahead, Shamsuddin is focused on expanding Elaka’s footprint at a national level. She is exploring opportunities to scale production and distribution while continuing to develop a new direct-to-consumer concept through a self-checkout kiosk, known as Elaka Pods. She adds that external investment will play a role in supporting that growth as the company builds the infrastructure for its next stage.

For Shamsuddin, the direction of Elaka remains tied to the idea that first shaped it. “Food has always been a way for people to connect,” she says. “Elaka started from a place of feeling like I didn’t belong anywhere. If I can build something where people feel a sense of connection through my products, then it has done what it was meant to do, one flavor at a time.”