At the tender age of 21, Hailey Yong, the dynamic CEO and founder of The Unusual Greens, better known as TUG, has already made a significant mark in the food and beverage industry by turning “ugly” fruits into artisanal gelato.
She did all this after dropping out of university to pursue her vision full-time—an audacious move for someone with no prior experience in entrepreneurship, and one that commands immense respect.
The birth of TUG Gelato
Image Credit: Ethan Zheng Hao on Google Review (left), @h.aileyxy on Instagram (right)
TUG’s story began in 2020 when Hailey, then a first-year college student, took part in the HULT Prize, an international social entrepreneurship competition. Despite her lack of experience and being in the very early days of her academic journey, she seized the opportunity to address an urgent issue: food waste in Malaysia.
Hailey noticed that vendors were tossing out misshapen fruits that didn’t meet strict “aesthetic standards”, though they were in perfectly good condition for consumption. This struck her as an obvious problem. With a creative spark, she came up with the idea of repurposing these discarded fruits into gelato.
The idea was initially met with skepticism, even from her own family. Still, it quickly turned into a passion project for her. Hailey started experimenting with recipes in her home kitchen, using surplus fruits like bananas, mangoes, and avocados. Her small-scale operation was a hit, but the road wasn’t always smooth. The first iteration of her business didn’t even make it to the finals of the HULT Prize, but Hailey wasn’t deterred. As her teammates moved on to other pursuits, she decided to take the plunge and turn her side hustle into a full-time business. Thus, TUG Gelato was born.
Taking the plunge & making it work
Image Credit: @h.aileyxy on Instagram (left), Dino Koay on Google Review (right)
Fast forward to today, TUG has expanded from a humble home kitchen into a fully-equipped central kitchen and two bustling outlets, one of which is located in the vibrant neighbourhood of Bangsar.
Initially, Hailey planned to set up a small “pick-and-go” shop next to her office. However, she quickly realized two things: that her office space was larger than necessary, and that their location in Seri Kembangan wasn’t ideal for attracting walk-in customers.
With a new vision in mind, Hailey and her team decided to make a bold move. They began transforming the office into a gelato cafe, tearing down partitions and completing the renovation in just two months. The result is a lively and colourful space that reflects TUG’s unique personality. The cafe’s design, which includes an eye-catching brick-red accent at the counter, symbolises the duality of the brand’s mission—creating gelato that looks beautiful on the outside but is made from fruits others might overlook. The space manages to capture TUG’s ethos: unconventional, vibrant, and bursting with personality.
Artisanal gelato with a purpose
Image Credit: Joshua on Google Review
TUG’s gelato is of course unconventional, with two distinct categories: Saving the Fruiture and The Cone-ventional.
The first category features gelatos made from imperfect fruits, with flavours like Avocado Pistachio, Banana Mango Toffee, and Soursop Calamansi. These flavours showcase the beauty of saving fruits that would otherwise end up in landfills. The second category features the classics, with crowd-pleasers like 72% Dark Chocolate, Matcha, and Roasted Pistachio.
Each scoop at TUG is not only a creamy delight but also a reminder of the pressing issue of food waste. Hailey and her team are committed to raising awareness about the staggering amounts of food that go to waste daily. Did you know that Malaysia wastes 17,000 tonnes of food every day, with 24% of that being avoidable? TUG is helping tackle this problem by using what others deem “ugly” to create something extraordinary.
Social impact beyond gelato
Image Credit: Manal Binti Mohammed Al-Darwish on Google Review (left), Tze Xuan (right)
Hailey’s commitment to sustainability and social impact extends beyond her gelato. TUG partners with local suppliers to craft unique beverages and works to make a difference in the community. For every Tug4Hug bundle (four pints of gelato) sold, the company donates to children’s homes and the homeless community. This initiative highlights Hailey’s broader mission to bridge the gap between food waste and social inequality by redistributing edible food to those in need.
While sourcing consistent quantities of “ugly” produce remains a challenge, Hailey and her team are scaling operations thoughtfully. Their focus is on selecting locations that align with their values and target market, ensuring that growth remains sustainable. With plans for future expansion, TUG is set to extend its impact by branching out to other Southeast Asian countries.
Sustainability at the heart of Hailey’s mission
Image Credit: Zul Farhan on Google Review (left), @h.aileyxy on Instagram (right)
At 24, Hailey is on a mission to shift how people view food. Driven by the belief that imperfect fruits still hold value, she’s determined to show that they can be used in ways that benefit both the environment and society. Her passion for this cause shines through not only in her work but also in her leadership. She’s fostered a community of like-minded individuals who share her dedication to food sustainability, and together, they are reshaping the future of food.
So, who knew that a young college dropout with a bold idea about turning ugly fruits into gelato would end up with two successful outlets, a loyal following, and a growing platform for spreading awareness about food waste?
Hailey Yong’s journey is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the delicious potential of saving the world—one scoop at a time.
TUG Gelato
Address: 7, Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 2pm – 11pm | Saturday and Sunday 11am – 11pm
Halal Status: Pork-free
Contact: 03-22021763
You should also check out: This M’sian quit her lucrative 9-5 in S’pore after 10 years to open her dream gelateria in SS2
Feature Image Credit: Carmen CJ on Google Review (left), @h.aileyxy on Instagram (right)
