Once upon a time, when the “ice cream” potong used to sell for some 20 sen in the 1970s, it was considered the cheapest cold treat in the market. Today, it retails for no less than RM1 and despite its traditional status, it is able to give its ice cream counterparts a tough fight in terms of market share.
The origins of the ice cream potong can be traced as far back to the 1940s with the advent of refrigeration. One version of its genesis has housewives, at loss of what to do with leftover sweet desserts like red bean porridge, freezing them into ice lollies. The traditional delight was sold in long sticks and freshly cut (potong in Malay) according to customer’s request, with varying prices according to length.
