The Download With Vivien Wong: The Woman Who Made Mochi Mainstream Talks AI, Going Viral And Manifesting Cher’s Closet

If you’ve ever stalked the supermarket freezer aisle hunting for a particular box of mochi, you have Vivien Wong to thank for the chase. The co-founder of Little Moons didn’t just break into the freezer aisle – she reshaped it, turning a niche Japanese dessert into a global obsession sold in 34 countries, with 10 million mochi devoured in the last year alone.

But Wong’s route to mochi mogul was anything but obvious. Before the gelato wrapped in pillowy dough, there was Economics at the University of Reading and her career at Barclays, where she qualified as a chartered accountant. “For me, entrepreneurship was always about freedom and creativity – the ability to build something from scratch without being confined by a predefined path or other people’s expectations,” she tells The Modems.

Then came the moment every founder dreams of (and few survive). In January 2021, Little Moons went viral on TikTok- the hashtag racked up over 500 million views, and suddenly shoppers were touring supermarkets like treasure hunters. But Wong is quick to puncture the overnight-success myth. “Virality only works if the product delivers. We had already spent over ten years building the foundations of the business before that moment happened,” she says.

These days, her relationship with technology is less about chasing trends and more about quietly removing friction. “I’ve been using Claude to analyse financial and operational data from my family bakery business, and it’s remarkable how quickly it can surface patterns and insights that would otherwise take hours or even days to process manually,” she explains. Her verdict on where it’s all heading? “I think we’re entering a period where great technology can genuinely level the playing field for founders.”

And lest you think she’s all spreadsheets, Wong has the cultural references to match. On her wardrobe app of choice: “Ever since watching Clueless as a child, I’ve wanted Cher’s wardrobe technology. The fact this now exists makes me disproportionately happy. Like… totally.”

From viral fame to AI-powered admin, scroll on for the tech that keeps Vivien Wong’s empire running…

The Download with… Vivien Wong:

For me, entrepreneurship was…

Always about freedom and creativity – the ability to build something from scratch without being confined by a predefined path or other people’s expectations.

At the same time, my brother Howard and I spotted the growing popularity of Japanese food culture in the UK, but almost no Japanese desserts. Mochi ice cream was something we’d discovered abroad and loved, and we felt there was an opportunity to introduce people to something genuinely new and exciting. Little Moons grew from that idea.

 

Once we decided we were serious about it…

We both left our jobs and committed fully. The first challenge was simply: could we make a truly delicious product, and could we manufacture it at scale? People often romanticise entrepreneurship, but in reality it’s usually solving a thousand small problems every day – many of them quite boring. But many boring small steps can get you a long way.

We obsessed over everything from sourcing the best fruit purées, understanding how to wrap warm mochi dough around frozen ice cream, deciding on our first flavours, to even the colour of the dough. When you’re creating a category that doesn’t really exist yet, there’s nobody to copy, which means almost too many decisions to make.

Manufacturing was probably the biggest challenge…

Nobody in Europe was really producing mochi ice cream at the time, so there wasn’t an existing supplier we could simply hand it over to. We had to learn how to make it ourselves. The other challenge was convincing distributors and retailers to take a chance on us. We were an unknown product from an unknown brand, so many assumed we wouldn’t be around long enough to justify the shelf space.

To secure funding…

We took a huge personal risk at the start by leaving our jobs and investing our savings into the business. We initially put around £50k into machinery, but beyond that we kept costs incredibly lean and did almost everything ourselves.

We were also very lucky to have access to space in my parents’ bakery, which became our testing ground to experiment, fail, learn and slowly figure out how to manufacture mochi properly.

 

The turning point…

Was when Little Moons went viral on TikTok during lockdown in January 2021.

One week we were still relatively niche, and the next there were videos of people travelling across supermarkets trying to track us down. At one point our hashtag reached over 500 million views, and sales accelerated incredibly quickly.

But I think what’s often missed is that virality only works if the product delivers. We had already spent over ten years building the foundations of the business before that moment happened.

One of our biggest challenges…

Was simply helping retailers understand where Little Moons belonged on the shelf. We weren’t tubs of ice cream, but we weren’t impulse sticks either. Eventually we helped create what’s now known as the frozen snacking category, but at the time that made listings difficult because buyers didn’t know where we sat. Retailers like Whole Foods took an early chance on us, and when we became one of their bestselling ice creams it gave us proof points we could build from.

Our pop-up in Selfridges was another pivotal learning moment. It was originally meant to last three months and ended up staying for eight years. Having a space inside such an iconic discovery-led retailer taught us so much about our consumers and helped elevate the brand enormously.

I stay motivated because…

Honestly, every time I eat a Little Moons I still think: Yum, that’s delicious.

And hearing consumers say the same thing never gets old. I love hearing how Little Moons has become someone’s small ritual at the end of the day, or something they share with friends and family. In a world with endless choice, the fact people continue choosing Little Moons is hugely motivating and pushes us to keep creating new flavours and experiences.

 

 

The advice I’d give aspiring entrepreneurs is…

There will always be setbacks, difficult moments and periods where things feel impossible  but there is almost always a solution or a way through if you keep going long enough to find it. Social media can make entrepreneurship look very polished and effortless, but most successful businesses are actually built quietly in the background through grit, consistency, resilience and problem solving.

And no matter what industry you’re in; consumer goods, hospitality, tech, always stay close to the consumer need. Put yourself in their shoes constantly. That’s where the best ideas come from.

 

The three gadgets I can’t live without are…

My iPhone – the obvious answer, but genuinely indispensable. My entire life runs through it. It’s less a phone at this point and more a slightly overworked life companion.

My Shokz headphones. I spend a lot of time on calls and these are brilliant because they’re comfortable enough to wear all day and switch seamlessly between devices. Also, crucially, they don’t squash your earrings, which feels like a detail designed by someone who truly understands women.

And finally, my alarm clock. Very low-tech, but intentional. I try not to let my phone be the first thing I reach for in the morning. That time belongs to my dog Uni (her good morning greetings are the best), some stretches my back insists upon, and a slightly slower start before the emails begin.

To enhance my productivity….

Recently I started using Whering to help organise my wardrobe and plan outfits. I genuinely love fashion and find a lot of joy in getting dressed, but I realised I was wasting too much mental energy in the mornings deciding what to wear. It removes a lot of those tiny daily frictions and frees up headspace for more important decisions.

Another thing that’s really helped me is time-blocking my diary rather than relying on endless to-do lists. It was a technique my coach introduced me to and it forced me to become much more realistic about what’s actually achievable in a day.

As Little Moons has grown, my role has shifted from constantly doing to spending more time thinking strategically. I’ve become a big believer that productivity is less about cramming more in and more about creating space to think clearly and make better decisions.

My top tech tip is…

My best discovery this year has been Whispr. It’s a voice-to-text app that works seamlessly across WhatsApp, email and pretty much anywhere you’d normally type. I’m constantly on the move and tend to think much faster than I type, so being able to speak naturally and have it instantly transcribed has been a complete game changer. It’s also massively helped with the repetitive strain I get from typing on my phone too much.

What I particularly like is that it keeps the speed and spontaneity of a voice note while making life easier for the person receiving it too. Often voice notes are more useful for the sender than the receiver, so this feels like a fairer balance.

How I stay updated with the latest tech is…

Honestly, mostly through conversations with smart people and podcasts rather than endlessly scrolling feeds. I pay much closer attention to what thoughtful founders and operators are actually using day-to-day than to what’s simply being hyped online. I’ve also followed The Modems since 2020, which I’ve found genuinely useful because it curates developments in technology in a way that feels thoughtful rather than overwhelming.

The emerging tech I’m excited about is…

I’m fascinated by how good AI tools are becoming at processing and analysing large amounts of information. I’ve been using Claude to analyse financial and operational data from my family bakery business, and it’s remarkable how quickly it can surface patterns and insights that would otherwise take hours or even days to process manually.

More broadly, I’m excited by technology that quietly removes friction and helps smaller businesses operate more intelligently. I think we’re entering a period where great technology can genuinely level the playing field for founders.

I think social media…

Is at its best when it deepens connection rather than performance. Little Moons itself benefited hugely from people genuinely sharing products they loved online, so I’ve seen first-hand how powerful that can be.

But sometimes we become so focused on capturing the moment that we stop fully living it. The same goes for filters and hyper-curated perfection. Our imperfections, quirks and lived experiences are the things that make us memorable and increasingly, they’re what make us human in a world becoming more shaped by AI. The people and brands I’m most drawn to online are the ones that feel real, self-aware and a little imperfect. That’s where genuine connection still lives.

 

 

My favourite podcasts are…

I love listening to the Acquired podcast, which does incredibly detailed deep dives into how iconic businesses have been built and scaled. I always find it fascinating hearing the nuance behind companies that can otherwise feel like “overnight successes.” I also dip in and out of All-In Podcast. It can lean a little “tech bro” at times, but there are often some genuinely interesting insights on technology, markets and where the world is heading.

 

The fashion tech I’m loving is…

As I mentioned, I’m currently loving Whering. Ever since watching Clueless as a child, I’ve wanted Cher’s wardrobe technology. The fact this now exists makes me disproportionately happy. Like… totally.

 

My go-to beauty tech is… 

I’ve recently been using Paiire, which I’ve found incredibly useful, especially with how much I travel for work with Little Moons. It connects you with vetted professional hair and makeup artists globally – many with experience across fashion, editorial and film sets – so there’s a level of trust and quality that’s hard to find when you’re in an unfamiliar city. It feels much more curated and reliable than endlessly searching Instagram or relying on last-minute recommendations.

 

💻 iOS or Android?

IOS

 

🎧 Earbuds or over-ear headphones?

Earbuds

 

📱 Text or voice notes?

Text (by Whispr)

 

📸 Phone Selfie or Proper Digi camera?

Phone Selfie

 

💡 Dark mode or light mode?

Light

 

💄 Filters or no filter?

No filter

 

💳 Apple Pay or designer wallet?

Apple Pay

 

📺 Netflix marathon or TikTok scroll?

Neflix and Chill

 

📖 E-book or Audiobook?

Audiobook

 

🎶 Spotify playlists or YouTube deep dives?

Spotify

 

🖥️ Desktop setup or laptop on-the-go?

Laptop

 

😀 Most used emoji?

😁