01
Durian sticky rice (khao niao durian)
Thawed pulp served over warm coconut sticky rice. Classic Thai dessert, minimal labor. Thaw a 1 kg pack and portion by the spoonful.
Why durian
For asian restaurants & bubble tea.
Durian is a menu anchor for most Southeast Asian restaurants. Thai durian sticky rice, Vietnamese durian smoothies, Malaysian cendol, Filipino halo-halo with durian pulp. It's also one of the most expensive fresh ingredients to run on a consistent basis. Seasonality, variety inconsistency, and the premium cost of fresh Monthong make menu planning a headache.
Running frozen Monthong pulp solves all three. You get the same Monthong flavor profile every box, no seasonal gaps, and the per-gram cost is typically 40–60% lower than sourcing fresh. That lets you keep durian on the menu year-round without eating margin.
Bubble tea operators especially benefit: durian Yakult, durian smoothies with taro, and signature durian milk teas are proven high-attach drinks that justify a premium SKU. One 10 kg case yields roughly 400–500 standard 16-oz drinks at 25g of pulp per drink.
Spec sheet
What matters for this use.
- Durian sticky rice ratio
- 80g pulp per serving
- Smoothie ratio
- 50–75g pulp per 16-oz drink
- Bubble tea ratio
- 25g pulp per 16-oz drink
- Shelf (open pack)
- Refrigerate, use in 5–7 days
- Case yield (bubble tea)
- ~400 x 16-oz drinks
Applications
Four ways operators use it.
The common builds we see from asian restaurants & bubble tea.
02
Durian bubble tea
Blend pulp with milk, sweetener, and ice for fresh orders. Or batch a base and spec by the drink. Pairs especially well with taro and matcha.
03
Durian smoothies & shakes
Frozen pulp + banana + milk + ice = a smoothie that Instagrams itself. Popular at juice bars and boba shops as a premium menu option.
04
Halo-halo, cendol, kakigori
Southeast Asian shaved ice desserts with durian are a serious profit category. Add a scoop of pulp as a topping or layer it through the ice.
Order profile
What a typical account looks like.
- Typical order
- 2–4 cases per month for dedicated Asian restaurants
- Peak season
- Bubble tea shops: 6–10 cases during summer
- Reorder cadence
- Bi-weekly reorders common
- Format note
- 1 kg packs portion well for single-service items.
Common questions
About durian for this use.
Does frozen durian taste different from fresh?+
If you're used to high-grade fresh Monthong, you'll notice a very small difference in aroma intensity. Texturally and flavor-wise, flash-frozen Monthong is closer to fresh than any other preserved option. Customers almost never detect it.
How do I price durian menu items?+
Most bubble tea shops add $1.50–$2.50 over their standard drink price for durian. Asian restaurants add $2–$4 for durian desserts. Our bulk pricing allows healthy margins even at modest upcharges.
Can it be used in hot dishes?+
Not ideal. Durian aromatics break down above 180°C / 355°F, and the pulp can separate in long-cooked dishes. Use cold or at low-heat (warming a sticky rice topping, for example).
Is there a smell concern for shared kitchens?+
Durian's aroma is strong when opened. The pulp is vacuum-sealed until opened, which contains the smell during storage. During active prep, the aroma will fill the kitchen. No different from working with fresh durian.
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