Gelati Cecchi facts for kids
Gelati Cecchi is a famous Italian company that makes gelato, which is a type of Italian ice cream. It was started in 1936 by a man named Gabriello Cecchi in the city of Turin. Today, Gabriello's grandson, Stefano Cecchi, is in charge of the company.
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The Sweet History of Gelati Cecchi
Starting Out: 1936-1950
In 1936, Gabriello Cecchi moved to Turin, Italy. He was born in Ponte Buggianese, Tuscany. Before this, he lived in France. There, he learned how to make delicious gelato.
Gabriello opened his first gelato shop in Turin. It was called a gelateria. This shop had 200 seats for customers. He also had a workshop next to it. His wife and brother, Tancredi, helped him.
His special "crème gialla" (yellow cream) flavor became very popular. Many people thought it was the best gelato in Turin. This helped his new business grow very quickly.
Growing Bigger: 1950-1960
After the Second World War, Gabriello Cecchi wanted to make more gelato. He had fought during the war. He wanted to sell his gelato beyond Turin.
New machines and technologies became available. So, he built a bigger factory. This first production plant was in Via Abate Chanoux. It started with 40 employees.
Gelati Cecchi began making many different gelato treats. These included gelato lollies, cones, sandwiches, and tubs. The factory had modern equipment. This equipment helped to pasteurize and freeze the gelato.
The company also created a sales team. They sold and delivered gelato. They reached customers all over Piedmont and Liguria. Simple advertisements helped the company grow even more.
Becoming a Leader: 1960-1973
In the 1960s, Gabriello Cecchi made the company even more organized. He focused on making it a large industry. He opened a huge new factory in Vinovo. This factory was 3,000 square meters!
His son, Raimondo, joined the company. Raimondo had just finished law school. Gelati Cecchi grew to have 300 employees. They had 120 sales agents. These agents supplied gelato to 1,500 shops.
The company expanded across northern Italy. They also reached parts of the French Riviera. Gelati Cecchi became a top brand. They wanted a new, easy-to-recognize image.
This is how "Cecchino" was created. Cecchino was a fun cartoon character. He helped share the company's message. Cecchino appeared on fridges and signs in shops.
New gelato flavors also got their own names. Some names were Capriccio, Canestrino, and Mela Cha Cha Cha. The company also supported sports. They linked their name to a basketball team, Pallacanestro Biella.
Gelati Cecchi became one of the ten biggest gelato companies in Italy. They helped start a trade group for gelato companies. Raimondo Cecchi led this group for two years.
At its most successful, in the early 1970s, Gelati Cecchi was bought. The Barilla Group purchased it. Later, it became part of the Italgel group. Other famous brands like Motta and Alemagna were also in this group.
New Paths: 1973-1993
Gabriello Cecchi became a manager at the Italgel Group. He worked on new ideas and products. In the early 1980s, a new brand was created. It was called Antica Gelateria del Corso. This brand quickly became popular.
Gabriello helped develop many famous products. These included the ice cream coconut, the gelato lemon, and the tartufo (a truffle-shaped ice cream).
In 1993, the Italgel group was sold. A large Swiss food company, Nestlé, bought it. The Cecchi family then left the gelato business. However, Silvano Moschini, Gabriello's nephew, kept the family tradition alive. He continued making traditional gelato in his shop in Via Nizza.
A Sweet Return: 2014
In 2014, Stefano Gabriello Cecchi decided to bring Gelati Cecchi back. Stefano is Raimondo's son and Gabriello's grandson. He had worked in music and luxury brands. He was also a global marketing expert.
Stefano decided to use his grandfather's original gelato recipes. He wanted to revive the famous Gelati Cecchi name.
