The story behind Wimbledon’s collaboration with a 120-year-old Delhi kulfi shop

Wimbledon is known for its traditions. From the all-white dress code to the famous strawberries and cream, the tournament has carefully preserved its identity for more than a century. But this year, one of its oldest traditions received an Indian touch.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club partnered with Delhi's 120-year-old Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfi Wale to launch a limited-edition Strawberries and Cream Kulfi, bringing together one of Britain's most iconic sporting traditions and one of Old Delhi's most famous dessert brands.

The collaboration is part of Wimbledon's effort to connect with its growing Indian audience by giving one of its most famous traditions a local flavour.

Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfi Wale was founded in 1906, when Kirorimal, popularly known as Kuremal, began selling kulfis from an earthen matka in the narrow lanes of Chawri Bazaar as a seasonal summer business.

In 1940, the family opened its first permanent shop, which still operates today.

Over the years, the brand became famous for its stuffed fruit kulfis. Instead of simply mixing fruit pulp with milk, the shop hollows out real fruits such as mangoes, oranges and pomegranates, fills them with creamy kulfi and freezes them before slicing and serving them.

Today, the brand also caters to weddings and events across India and in countries including the UAE, Italy, Germany, South Africa and Thailand.

The collaboration almost did not happen. Co-owner Vishal Sharma that he initially believed the email they recieved from Wimbledon was fake when it arrived around three to four months before the tournament.

It was only after several rounds of discussions, including a security deposit, before the family was convinced the offer was genuine. They then spent more than a week developing the final recipe.

The most important part of the recipe was the inclusion of the world famous strawberries and cream which have been associated with Wimbledon since the tournament began in 1877.

The Championships are held during the English strawberry season as they are grown from late May through September, with the peak season falling in June and July. It is the window when Wimbeldon takes place making the dessert a natural part of the event symbolising British summer.

Over the years, it has become one of Wimbledon's biggest traditions, with more than 140,000 portions served during the two week tournament.

To recreate the famous dessert for Indian audiences, Kuremal combined its traditional slow-cooked rabri with premium strawberries to create the limited-edition Strawberries and Cream Kulfi.

The special kulfi was available throughout the tournament at all Kuremal's outlets in Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Bengali Market and Hauz Khas.

The collaboration transformed one of Wimbledon's oldest traditions into a dessert that Indian consumers are familiar with while retaining its original flavour, bringing together more than a century of British tennis tradition and Delhi's rich kulfi heritage.