Summer has arrived, the mercury levels are rising and we’re melting. Fortunately, there is some respite in the form of some of the most delicious – and colourful – ice creams you could wish for. And even more excitingly, it’s all been created by a family with Birmingham very much at its heart.

LA-POP! in Islington Row, Edgbaston has been making and selling insta-friendly, handcrafted gelato popsicles for the last six years. Like a lot of cracking businesses, the concept is original but beautifully simple.
Freshly made using locally sourced organic milk, you pick your perfect flavour gelato and then customise from a vast selection of toppings, sprinkles and drizzles that’s as individual as you are. There are more than 700 different combinations, so a huge variety available, although by all accounts there’s serious demand for a Lotus Biscoff-themed creation that boasts a white chocolate dipped gelato with caramel fudge, salted caramel crunch, and crushed Lotus Biscoff! Blimey!

POP-TASTIC!

So, let’s go back to the beginning. The founders of LA-POP! are husband and wife team, Abdul and Anum Kaium. Both Brummies by birth, their dream was kickstarted on a family holiday to Dubai in 2017 where their young children expressed a wish for their own ice cream shop and the entrepreneurial seed was sown.

The couple spent the next few months researching and training in artisan gelato, learning the techniques that build credibility and the finest flavour, before sourcing the custom Italian gelato machines that would lead to the best possible popsicles. During this time, they also developed the strong, vibrant brand identity that helps sets them apart “We can thank a good friend of ours who truly understood our vision and created the LA-POP! logo and brand identity,” says Anum.

LOCATION, LOCATION

With product and brand sorted, the next key component was location. They always knew that they wanted to bring LA-POP! to their hometown. “After working as a professional chef for more than 20 years, I was always drawn to the city’s vibrant food scene and strong sense of community” says Abdul. Securing the Edgbaston site, with the support of Calthorpe Estate, was a key milestone. “We chose the area because we believed the leafy suburbs were the perfect place where Brummies would embrace a fresh, fun take on gelato,” Anum adds.

Building works began before a major financial setback from a failed relationship with the original contractor, led to a delay to the opening. The doors finally opened in August 2019 and after a positive start, just six months later the fledgling family business was hit by the pandemic. It was a tough time and the team almost lost hope, but they never lost sight of their vision before successfully navigating the choppy waters “Passion and perseverance carried us through,” said Abdul. “And the support from our customers was amazing, even showing up on rainy and cold days.”

Five years later, the award-winning business is thriving with some exciting expansion plans ahead, including new product ranges, more local partnerships and tie-ins with Edgbaston Village, and sights set on new locations – bringing the vibrant joy of LA-POP! to new neighbourhoods.

So, what is their key ingredients to success? “Passion, trustworthy partnerships and a supportive community that builds momentum—from family inspiration to Brummie love – have helped us turn our children’s dream into a thriving, award-winning business,” said Anum.

From overcoming early setbacks to crafting thousands of colourful, delicious creations, it feels like LA-POP! is only just beginning its journey.