Each of the flavors provides a hint of the continent's unique flavors and ingredients, such as the Strawberry French 75, a vegan and gluten-free sorbet that is inspired by the iconic French cocktail.
Want to experience the flavors of Asia? Try the Taro Boba, a blend of taro root’s sweet vanilla-coconut flavor and boba pearls steeped in ube syrup. For something a little closer to home, try the All-American Breakfast, a collaboration with The Local Donut, featuring maple ice cream, a blueberry old-fashioned donut and bacon brittle.
“We see ourselves as citizens of this world and want to celebrate every way possible,” says Helen Yung, co-founder of Sweet Republic. “The Olympics would be a great excuse to create some flavors that let you kind of travel around the world.”
Yung and her business partner, co-founder Jan Wichayanuparp, have had quite a journey themselves. Originally from Hong Kong and Bangkok respectively, Yung and Wichayanuparp met in New York City while training in investment banking. They later moved to Phoenix and opened Sweet Republic in 2008 — the rest is history.
Aside from serving international flavors, Sweet Republic is also making an impact in the community. Leading up to the Olympic closing ceremony on Aug. 11, 15% of the sales from every pint of the Olympic ice cream will be donated to support the Arizona Small Dog Rescue.
Yung is no stranger to the local small dog rescue. Earlier this year, she rescued Bluey, a blue-eyed Australian Shepherd-Husky-Boxer mix.
“I've stayed in touch with the rescue all this time, and we've always wanted to collaborate on something,” Yung says. “Then one day, the idea of Olympics and ice cream came up — it was the perfect trio.”
Creating the delicious array of flavors for the Olympics at Sweet Republic was a collaborative effort. Yung’s sister, who lives in Australia, exchanged ideas with her to develop an ice cream that captures the essence of Australian tastes. The outcome is the Boozy Lamington, a vegan ice cream featuring a blend of sponge cake, chocolate, coconut and a generous splash of whiskey.
The final flavor in the Olympic-themed ice cream menu is Milk Tart, a traditional South African dessert featuring silky custard which is delicately spiced with cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg.
“Neither of us have been to Africa, so that was a little bit of a stretch to figure out that flavor,” Yung said. “We consulted with a friend who's from South Africa and he recommended this milk tart. We looked into it and thought it would be perfect for ice cream.”
As the opening ceremony for the 2024 Olympic Games is set to kick off on July 26, Yung is looking forward to watching the individual sports.
“I love track and field. I love swimming and diving,” Yung says.
The Olympic-themed ice cream menu will be available at all three of Sweet Republic’s locations.
Sweet Republic
6054 N. 16th Street410 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe
9160 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale
