Winning kids’ favour means getting parents’ approval – this involves combining colours, flavours, and nutrition into food that children enjoy.
This led Power Pops to take a kids-focused approach from product formulation to branding.
“Kids are the most honest critics. They’ll tell you straight up if something doesn’t taste good. At the same time, they’re the hardest to please.
“So you really have to strike a balance. Food needs to look fun and colourful, and it has to taste amazing too,” said Power Pops co-founder Seema.
As a parent herself, Seema acknowledged the challenge of getting children to eat a variety of fruits.
Popsicles, she noted, are a clever workaround because kids gravitate toward them.
They are fun enough to feel like a treat yet can be made to be wholesome enough for health-conscious parents.
As there are no artificial additives, the firm uses herbs to enhance flavours and colours.
“We pair strawberry with basil, and blueberry with lavender. The lavender, for instance, brings out the berry notes and adds depth. We also use blue pea flower to give it a beautiful tint. Such combinations really make everything pop, but do not overpower or mask the natural flavours of fruits,” said Seema.
They also come with names like “Wonder Brain” – a bright purple and white popsicle twist – and “Energy Blast”, which has a deep yellow colour. These names suggest strength, energy, and mental sharpness.
“The goal is to link healthy eating with feeling strong and powerful. Linking these to super power themes makes it appealing to kids,” said Seema.
She added that whole fruits like strawberries, mangoes, and bananas are paired with peanut butter or yoghurt to deliver both flavour and functional benefits.
But awareness of health trends is not enough – brands need to offer real solutions.
For Power Pops, this means meeting parents’ ongoing demand for nutrient-rich snacks their kids will actually eat.
Turning challenges into strengths
Parents often struggle with picky eaters, while also avoiding artificial additives – a combination that makes snack choices especially difficult.
Identifying the market gap is easy, but to create products that are viable comes with challenges such as a much shorter shelf-life compared to conventional snacks and desserts.
“Our yoghurt pops last up to two months in the freezer. Having a shorter shelf-life than most products is one of our biggest challenges. But we turn it into a strength.
“We tell our customers: If something sits in your freezer for six months to a year and still looks perfect, you should question what’s in it, because real, natural food will eventually spoil, even in the freezer.
“The fact that our popsicles only last two months is actually a sign that they’re made with real ingredients and no preservatives. So we shift the narrative and use it to build trust with our customers,” Seema explained.
The firm also has seasonal launches to increase urgency and appeal. Its latest limited editions are Vit C Boost with orange and cinnamon, and Immunity Zap with lime and passionfruit.
Power Pops emphasises the use of natural ingredients. Whole fruits are used to retain nutrients, and its in-house yogurt – made with just milk and live cultures – adds protein and probiotics without fillers or gelatine.
The goal is to offer a balance of protein, fibre, vitamins, and probiotics while avoiding added preservatives.
Seema shared that parents eat the popsicles themselves, making them a family-friendly option.
Power Pops is developing yogurt parfaits, which Seema aims to launch by the end of the year.
The firm also plans to expand beyond Singapore, particularly in the Southeast Asia region, where the demand for cold treats is high due to the tropical climate.
Furthermore, Seema noted that there is a gap in the market for clean-label frozen products targeted at children, making it a logical expansion opportunity.
