Scoops of memory, told in ice cream flavors
Marcelo’s Microcreamery began from something personal. John Marcelo, a former race car driver and seasoned businessman, grew up with the value of hard work and exploring possibilities—instilled early on by his father, the late Eddie Marcelo. But little did Marcelo know that among his many pursuits, it would be his favorite childhood indulgence that would bring him the most satisfaction and joy: ice cream.
A spoonful that brought them back to a memory
Marcelo would do his grocery runs and, almost without thinking, make his way to the ice cream freezer—checking what flavors were there, seeing what was new. One day, after a bike ride and a breakfast of champorado, he stopped by a convenience store and did the same. The ice creams on display were familiar… chocolate, rocky road, and vanilla.
“That’s when I had the ‘aha’ moment to try something different,” he says.
He first thought of turning that morning’s champorado into ice cream. He worked on it until he was satisfied, sharing his final version with friends and family. Their reaction was simple but meaningful… a spoonful brought them back to a memory.
That was a moment Marcelo would never forget.
The enterprise started small. I remember my first taste years ago—one of the early batches churned in his own kitchen. From the beginning, every pint was meant to bring back that same reaction his champorado ice cream first did.
Unconventional ice cream flavors
That is what Marcelo’s Microcreamery is all about—and what led it to grow into a full-fledged ice cream factory… so more people can enjoy it, too. After champorado, Marcelo thought hard about what flavor to do next. Accustomed to doing things in non-conventional ways, he took a totally different approach. He turned manga’t suman, inutak, latik, bilo-bilo, and ube macapuno champorado into ice cream, to stand alongside his signature champorado ice cream.
Of all the variants, he recalls the bilo-bilo to be the most challenging. In the beginning, he had to source and study so many versions of the dish, making it again and again until they got it right.
It meant breaking it down carefully, understanding each element, and finding a way to translate it into ice cream. The goal, though simple, was not easy: to make the frozen version enjoyable to eat, while still keeping that same, comforting taste and texture of warm bilo-bilo.
Ice cream meets Dubai chocolate
Wanting to push Filipino flavors further, and to celebrate Filipino talent, Marcelo turned to Nouel Catis Omamalin, a visionary pastry chef and the creative force behind the viral Dubai chocolate.
For Omamalin, the collaboration felt natural. Ice cream has always been his favorite dessert. He recalls memories of dirty ice cream—simple, familiar, and comforting. He intimated that it was something he had long wanted to explore on his own, even thinking of creating a brand. Then Marcelo came along, and in many ways, it felt like a childhood dream that had come full circle.
Omamalin describes Marcelo as an ice cream man at heart—passionate, rooted, and intentional.
For Omamalin, it was important that his entry into Marcelo’s Microcreamery reflected who he is, so he began with flavors closely associated with him.
Three were developed and tested: pistachio kunafa chocolate, ube baklava, and Strawberry Fields.
The response was strong, especially for the pistachio kunafa chocolate (Dubai chocolate), which, as he says, needs no introduction.
Omamalin shared the story behind every flavor. The pistachio kunafa chocolate (Dubai chocolate) carries his signature. The ube baklava draws from his Manila chocolate line—a quiet homage to Filipino flavors. And the Strawberry Fields, made with Fukuoka strawberries and finished with yogurt, was created to appeal to white chocolate lovers: lighter, fruit-forward, and refreshing.
Breathing new life into old-time favorites
Together, they plan to continue developing more Filipino flavors—breathing new life into old-time favorites, giving them a more contemporary, global feel that speaks to a younger generation. While the Filipino line continues to be developed independently by Marcelo, the collaboration with Omamalin moves forward in another direction—translating Omamalin’s signature chocolate creations into ice cream.
For Marcelo and Omamalin, the dream is simple: to create ice creams that are 100 percent Filipino in soul, but with a global perspective, proudly made and ready to be shared with the world.
