Sweet Treats: New Zealand-Style Real Fruit Soft Serve Arrives in Kailua

Perfect Day is making these lingering hot days more delicious.

October 6, 2025

Maria Burke,

Photo: Maria Burke

Growing up, bargaining with my mom for a keiki cup of orange sherbet or white chocolate mousse at TCBY was a weekly ritual. Maybe it’s the perfect emoji-worthy swirl, maybe it’s the easy-to-devour texture. Either way, soft serve is still my main squeeze when it comes to frozen treats.

So when I spotted a colorful sandwich board with tall, fruity swirls, I knew I had to check it out. That sign led me to Perfect Day Real Fruit Ice Cream, the newest family-run spot taking over the kitchen side of The Collective space on Uluniu Street.

Photo: Maria Burke

The best part? It’s totally a choose-your-own-adventure experience. You start by deciding between a cup or cone—though if you walk in and catch the smell of fresh waffle cones cooking, good luck saying no to that. Next, pick your fruit: mango, banana or a berry blend dubbed Kookaberry (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries). You can stick to one fruit or mix in a second for $1 more.

From there, you choose a base—classic vanilla ice cream or a creamy coconut dairy-free option—and finish it off with toppings like dye-free sprinkles, waffle cone bits or liliko‘i drizzle. Not into decision-making? Go for a Signature Swirl like the Funky Monkey (banana swirl with peanut butter drizzle and cacao nibs) or the Lavender Haze (blueberry-lavender swirl topped with liliko‘i drizzle and macadamia nuts).

Photo: Maria Burke

My go-to order at Perfect Day? A keiki Kookaberry with the coconut base and sprinkles. A special machine blends together my scoop of coconut gelato with frozen fruit to create a perfectly smooth, fresh fruit soft serve. The coconut base has just the right amount of sweetness, balanced by the tart berries. It’s creamy without being too heavy, and every now and then, you get a little nugget of frozen fruit—a pop of bright, real-fruit flavor that keeps every bite interesting.

So how did this little taste of New Zealand end up in Kailua? Owners Zach and Emile Englert discovered real fruit ice cream while traveling through a rural town in New Zealand with their son, Liam, in 2023. They fell in love with it and decided to bring it home to Hawai‘i. They started with an ice cream cart, then an ice cream truck, and after debuting at the Kaka‘ako Farmers Market, they opened their Kailua shop—and it’s been full steam ahead for Perfect Day ever since.

Now, along with soft serve, you’ll also find cold brew, matcha and Big Time Bagels with a selection of schmears. I find myself creating reasons to schedule appointments nearby, just so I can swing by afterward. So far, it’s working out really, really well.

Tips:

Bring a friend if you want to try multiple combinations. Even the keiki size is a good portion.
Be patient—each ice cream is made to order.
If you’re in a rush, avoid the after-school hour, as this place is already a neighborhood kiddo (and parent) fave.

What: Real fruit soft serve ice cream
Cost: $7 for keiki, $8.50 for regular, $.50 to $1.00 for toppings, $11.25 to $12 for their regular sized Signature Swirls.
Where: 407 Uluniu St. #101, Kailua; soft serve truck at Waikele Premium Outlets
When: Kailua shop open daily 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Waikele truck open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Payment: Cash or card
Follow: @perfectdayicecream
Info: perfectdayicecream.com