No longer $1: Mixue raises price of signature ice cream, citing 'rising costs'

Mixue entered the Singapore market in February 2022 and its $1 Signature KingCone quickly became a customer favourite.

Two years on, the Chinese ice cream and beverage chain has opted to adjust the price of its classic vanilla soft-serve.

A photo shared on Facebook page Complaint Singapore last Thursday (Nov 21) showed a notice at a Mixue outlet announcing that the price of its Signature KingCone will be adjusted from $1 to $1.50 effective Nov 25.

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It also read: "This change was due to rising cost of raw materials, allowing us to continue using high-quality ingredients, and to our commitment to maintaining the high standards you expect from us."

The notice further said that each store will offer 1,000 vouchers to customers during this "transition period, while stocks last".

A Mixue spokesperson confirmed the price hike with AsiaOne, adding that each customer will receive two vouchers worth $0.50 each.

These vouchers can be used for any menu item during their next visit to a Mixue outlet.

AsiaOne visited the chain's outlet in Bedok on Thursday, and its menu indeed showed its Signature KingCone is now priced at $1.50. 

In the comments section, a number of netizens were in a huff about the increase in price.

Some mentioned that they would rather head to Ikea or McDonald's instead for cheap ice cream.

A few others, however, simply noted that agency lies in the consumer.

"This is not a necessity. You don't have to buy it," one netizen said.

Another wrote: "Nobody is forcing you to buy. The choice is yours."

Regional appeal

Mixue began as a drink stall in Zhengzhou, the capital city of China's Henan province in 1997.

In 2006, Mixue started selling ice cream cones for 1 yuan (S$0.21) and the brand opened its first ice cream store a year later. 

The Chinese brand has since expanded, and as of July 2023, the franchise has more than 22,000 store in China and about 1,000 in Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

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amierul@asiaone.com