After 15 years working in finance, JC Lombard was searching to do something new. During his banking tenure working at a Swiss bank, he matured several ideas over the course of the past 15 years while waiting for the stars to be aligned.
Ultimately, it was 10 summers spent in Italy with his wife and children across that period that inspired his next project.
On a trip to Greece in 2023 with his family, JC’s lactose-intollerant daughter visited a local ice cream parlor and her intolerance became quickly noticeable. It was fated for him to launch his project – a gelato shop for all, especially the lactose intolerant community.
Snack Baby Gelato opened in early summer of 2024, embraced heartedly by Hong Kong foodies. The shop is styled similarly to an Italian cafè with marble touches and wooden motifs and sells gelato produced fresh and on-sight. “Every aspect of Italian culture fascinates me. We embrace a Northern Italian vibe here,” JC notes.
Opening the gelato shop on Hollywood Road location made sense, feeding directly into Hong Kong’s sweet-loving habits. “[This area] has one of the highest foot traffics in the city where we could find at a reasonable price for a small shop like ours.”
Initially, JC credits the success of Snack Baby to his team and family, particularly his children, aged five and eight. “On the opening day, I had my kids standing outside asking people to come in and try our gelato!”
Before Snack Baby Gelato opened its doors, it was the neighbouring Messina in Central and Gelato-Go in Tsim Sha Tsui that reigned as Hong Kong’s go-to gelato shops.
As JC’s sweet venture took hold of the city’s sweet trade, Snack Baby catalysed a gelato wave in Hong Kong with close to a dozen stores opening on the island and Kowloon, in part thanks to the popularity of the Hollywood Road shop.
Where the diets of those with Asian ancestry are concerned, and Hong Kong’s obsession with sweet snacking post-dinner, gutting the lactose out of gelato became a quick win for JC.
Snack Baby rotates 14 flavours every two weeks on their menu, with Hong Kong flavours dominating the selection. Former flavours have included cantaloupe melon, pistachio crunch, Szechuan chilli mango, peanut butter jam, and early gray blueberry.
“I have three primary requirements in mind when creating the gelato flavours here,” JC explains, “the first is that we use lactose-free milk for our dairy gelato-base flavors, second, we use real fruit in every single batch, and we focus on taste intensity and texture rather than sweetness.”
“We only use naturally occurring ingredients for our gelato. No xanthan gum, thickeners, artificial preservatives. People are often amazed when I tell them that our sorbettos have no milk in them!”
JC explains that in lieu of using cream in his gelato production, he is able to use natural sugars and water to produce a thick texture for the gelato and maintain a strong creamy texture.
The constant research and development of new flavours has garnered mass appeal for every Hong Konger. JC’s youngest customer has been 3 years old, with the oldest coming in at 103.
In February 2025, Snack Baby Gelato earned itself a place in the MICHELIN Guide 2025 Hong Kong, a testament to the shop’s sugary treats. The guide lauded the “pistachio crunch flavour”, stating “strict vegans and anyone who is lactose intolerant will adore this gelato store with 10-plus animal-free and lactose-free options.”
With lines snaking the block at the shop straddling the border of SoHo and Sheung Wan, JC is still adamant the work isn’t done to perfect his craft. “When opening Snack Baby Gelato, I didn’t have the money, or connections, I was far from certain that we would succeed.”
“Up to the point where I realized that business success has nothing to do with being sure that you’re gonna succeed, that’s when I understood that [operating a food business] is tough but rewarding.”
“One day 10, 15, 20 years from now, we will be very happy to have had that experience.”
JC is planning to expand Snack Baby Gelato to The Peak Tower in the summer, with more details coming soon.
Head to Snack Baby Gelato for a taste of lactose-free gelato today, inspired by Italian, Asian, and Hong Kong flavours.
