When the late Pope Francis wrapped up his historic visit to the Philippines in January 2015, few could have imagined that one of his sweetest souvenirs would be Filipino-made ice cream.
According to Carmen’s Best founder Francisco “Paco” Magsaysay, the Holy Father enjoyed not one, but two scoops of the Alabang-born brand before flying back to Rome, and even brought cartons home.
In an interview on DZRH’s Special on Saturday program on September 6, Magsaysay recalled how his premium ice cream unexpectedly found its way to the papal flight.
Philippine Airlines had asked him to supply frozen treats for the return leg to the Vatican, a rare opening that came after management changes left the carrier without its usual supplier.
Magsaysay had to scramble to create single-serve packaging, even flying in cups and sticking labels by hand just to meet the order.
What happened next was nothing short of providential. “Sa awa ng Diyos, kinain ni Pope Francis ang malted milk ice cream namin,” Magsaysay said.
The Pontiff liked it so much that he asked for another serving, this time the brown butter almond brittle. The story was quickly picked up by local media, but it would later resurface in an international Catholic publication, cementing Carmen’s Best in papal lore.
A few years later, Catholic news site Aleteia revealed that the Pope had actually taken cartons of Carmen’s Best ice cream with him to Rome: malted milk, pistachio, and brown butter almond brittle.
“I did soon find out that he loves dulce de leche and I would have made him a dulce de leche ice cream,” Magsaysay admitted, noting that the Argentine Pontiff has a well-known fondness for the caramel-like flavor.
The episode became a turning point for the small-batch Filipino brand.
What started as a solution to a dairy farm’s oversupply had transformed into a product fit for international airline passengers, and even the Pope himself.
For Magsaysay, who once resisted politics despite being the grandson of the late President Ramon Magsaysay and son of former Senator Jun Magsaysay, Carmen’s Best became his own legacy.
“They never say, Paco is the grandson of President Magsaysay. They just see me as the ice cream guy. I love it,” he told DZRH.
The Carmen’s Best story, however, is also one of agriculture and advocacy.
The ice cream traces its roots to a dairy farm in Laguna, established in 2008 by Sen. Jun Magsaysay and friends as a social enterprise to promote fresh milk consumption among Filipinos.
Unlike most milk sold in local groceries, which comes from powder, the farm’s fresh dairy gave Carmen’s Best its distinctive taste.
“When people started eating it and sharing it on social media, doon kami lumaki,” Paco recalled.
For Magsaysay, the lesson has always been about passion and perseverance. He had no background in food science, relying instead on YouTube tutorials and meticulous trial-and-error in his Alabang kitchen.
But his entrepreneurial strength was sales, and when his father challenged him to help sell excess milk, he turned that problem into opportunity.
Today, Carmen’s Best continues to be known as the premium Filipino ice cream that once delighted the Pope on a flight home.
In a way, the Pontiff’s seal of approval gave not just a blessing to Carmen’s Best, but also a reminder that world-class products can be born from humble farms, family values, and the simple joy of sharing something sweet.
