Is DreamPops the future of dessert?

In a labyrinthine building outside Los Angeles’ Arts District, food entrepreneurs buzz through the hallways of LA Prep – a snazzy facility that rents out production spaces where brands can cook, bake and store their wholesale goods.

Businesses large and small operate out of their respective nooks and crannies along the white hallways. In one such lab-like pocket is Dream Pops, where co-founders David Cohen, David Marx and David Greenfeld are disrupting the dessert game with superfood-filled ice cream popsicles, made-to-order in 3D-printed molds.

“Our main differentiation from [other ice cream companies] is that we can 3D print any shape,” Cohen says. He’s referring to the chic, geometric shapes that make Dream Pops so unmistakable. The company has also partnered with companies like Versace, Beats by Dre and Patron to create custom “avant-garde” pops that beg to be captured on Instagram.

But it’s not just how Dream Pops look, it’s equally how they taste. With the help of Juan Amador, chef at Germany’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant Amador, the company whips up inventive flavors like So Matcha Goodness, made with matcha and coconut milk.

There is also Blackcurrant Passion Fruit, with its namesake blackcurrant and passion fruit, along with coconut milk and baobab powder – an African superfruit packed with vitamin C and calcium.

And unlike other frozen treats on the market, the pops can be made on the spot thanks to the use of liquid nitrogen, which is set at -196°C. Cohen can freeze the desserts in minutes either at their kitchen space or on location at pop-ups.

Looking ahead, the three Davids hope to eventually open a brick-and-mortar shop of their own in LA, supply their pops to grocery stores and hotels, and even shake up the chocolate industry with their 3D-printed mold capabilities. All in all, their future looks pretty sweet.

Another confectionery company in LA that’s been churning out popsicles made with 3D molds is Pixsweet, the brainchild of 3D designer Janne Kyttanen.

This custom 3D-printed popsicle company allows customers to flex their creative muscles by playing a role in designing their desserts.

Customers can visit the company’s website and select a design from the existing database, which they can then tweak into a desired shape. The popsicles are then created at a factory using 3D-printing technology before being shipped off to customers for their enjoyment, with the entire process taking around two weeks.

Something that can’t be customized are the flavors, which currently include Juicy Watermelon Citrus, Sweet Strawberry Lemonade and Tropical Mango Pineapple. dream-pops.com, pixsweet.com