Raghunandan Kamath, the visionary founder of Naturals Ice Cream, has passed away at the age of 75 following a brief illness, the company announced online. “We mourn the loss of our beloved founder, Late (Shri) Raghunandan Kamath. This is a profoundly sad and unfortunate day for us,” the statement read.
Born into a mango-selling family in Mangaluru, Karnataka, Kamath learned the intricacies of selecting, harvesting, and preserving ripe mangoes from his father. At the age of 14, he left school to work at his brother’s eatery, harboring a dream to create handcrafted ice cream featuring real fruit pulp.
In 1984, Kamath relocated to Mumbai and established the first Naturals Ice Cream parlour in the Juhu Scheme area with a small team of six and a modest selection of 12 flavors. His innovative approach quickly gained popularity, leading to the opening of five additional outlets by 1994. Today, Naturals Ice Cream boasts over 165 outlets across 15 cities.
Kamath’s commitment to using core ingredients—fruit, sugar, and milk—resulted in unique flavors that delighted customers for nearly four decades. The brand’s slogan, “Taste the Original,” reflects its unwavering dedication to authenticity and quality.
Inspired by his mother’s traditional techniques, Kamath also developed specialized machinery to ensure production efficiency and consistency, a testament to his innovative spirit as noted on the company’s website.
