Rossi Ice Cream
A scoop of success
Rossi Ice Cream has been producing award winning Ice Cream since 1932. Over 80 years later it continues to be loved by generations throughout Essex and beyond
Rossi Ice Cream has a longstanding history in Essex and prides itself on providing premium, traditional ice cream as well as a high standard of customer service. By identifying each customer’s individual needs and offering a service that suits their requirements, many business relationships, including parlours, mobile vans and retailers, have lasted over many decades, which is a testament to both the quality of the ice cream and the company’s business approach. It offers a wide range of flavours and sizes for all market places including classic Vanilla, Honeycomb, Mint Choc Chip, Lemon Ice and sizes ranging from 125ml to ten litres. With its deep roots in the Essex area, as the business continues to grow, it also cherishes being able to support local charities and contribute to the local tourism in and around the area.
Rossi is a company that is taking a product it loves and supplying it to an ever-growing customer base. Summer 2015 saw the brand refresh of Rossi, introducing the company’s first ever printed containers in over 80 years. Together with the updated Rossi logo, this enabled products to sit proudly on retailer’s shelves, reflecting the premium ice cream produced and help to support sales. Colin Gray, Director at Rossi Ice Cream, discussed some of the success the company has had: “We have expanded the business into more retail areas, while still continuing to support independent retailers. This reflects on now supplying ASDA stores directly since June, as well as 30 Chelmsford Star Co-op Stores and 40 stores for the East of England Co-op. We have also been awarded an additional 40 stores throughout the region with the Co-op Manchester Group.” The company is fast becoming the ice cream of choice for many establishments as Rossi has been making moves further into the leisure, hotel and catering sectors including Havens Holiday Parks. No wonder the company is aiming to continue the expansion of its market and broadening its customer base, much further than Essex.
One way in which Rossi is raising its profile and working with a diverse selection of companies is through a unique service of fully branded and personalised ice cream tubs. This is something that few, if any, of the company’s competitors offer and that has been overwhelmingly well received by all those that have used the service. The strengths of this tailor-made ice cream product were highlighted by Colin Gray: “We have supplied personalised ice cream tubs via branding and marketing agencies for a number of their clients including Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and easyJet. We also offer door-to-door delivery using temperature controlled vehicles for events in London, Scotland, even Europe as far as Monaco in the south of France. The tubs are perfect for such a range of reasons allowing companies to offer ice cream at an event or exhibition at the same time as promoting their own product. The unique experience is a great talking point for potential customers as well as a ‘holding point’ at exhibitions and events, as the customer enjoys the ice cream and discussions/ relationships can be built. The tubs used for Hilfiger were for a store grand opening in London and were so successful, they repeated the order a year later for its first anniversary.”
The company even has the capability to create and produce bespoke ice cream flavours with several companies approaching it with wild and wonderful ideas over the years it has been able to make a reality. From Gin & Tonic Sorbet for a Casino, Lavender for a London based hotel, even producing 80 different flavours as part of the ‘Around the World in 80 Scoops’ campaign for Insure & Go. Flavours included Squid Ink Ripple (Japan), Tobacco (Cuba) and Fish with Lemon Grass Syrup (Vietnam).
Rossi Ice Cream has recently been nominated for the ‘Pride of Essex’ award by Essex Life Food & Drink Awards, which is evidence of the success the company has achieved. As the business continues to grow, so does its online presence with its social media engagement steadily increasing and the launch of a brand new website due in October helping towards increasing brand awareness.
The quality and appeal of Rossi Ice Cream simply cannot be under question. The name is spreading and with every mouthful of Rossi Ice Cream the customer base grows. The heart of the business may have started and remains in Essex, but as the company begins to expand and move forward, the whole of the UK may one day, have the chance to enjoy an original Rossi Ice Cream.