Morelli's facts for kids

Morelli's Gelato is a famous company that makes and sells delicious ice cream, also known as gelato. It was started way back in 1907 by Giuseppe Morelli. At first, he sold ice cream from a bicycle with his son, Mario. As more people loved their ice cream, they started using an ice cream van. In 1932, they opened their very first ice cream parlour right by the sea in Broadstairs, a fun seaside resort.

Today, Morelli's has many shops around the world! You can find them in famous places like Harrods Food Hall and Covent Garden in London. They also have shops in places like Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and even Monte Carlo. They even had a special summer shop at the old Dreamland Theme Park.

Morelli's is known for its amazing gelato, which is made fresh every day in each store. They also serve their own special coffee and fancy, old-fashioned sundaes. Morelli's has even been featured on TV shows and in movies. Important magazines like The Telegraph and The Times have called their ice cream some of the best in the UK!

History of Morelli's Gelato

Angelo Morelli, who helped run the business in Northern Ireland, 1925

The Morelli family came to the UK from a village in Italy called Casalattico in 1907. Soon after, Mario Morelli began making ice cream. He sold it from his bicycle in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The First Ice Cream Parlour

In 1932, the family opened their first ice cream shop and coffee bar in Broadstairs, Kent. This shop is still open today and welcomes many visitors! After Mario Morelli retired in 1954, his son Giuseppe Morelli took over the business. He opened a second shop in Broadstairs in 1955. In 1957, he rebuilt the main Broadstairs ice cream parlour. It was the first of its kind in the UK, offering more than 20 different ice cream flavours!

Growing the Family Business

In 1972, Giuseppe's oldest son, Marino Morelli, took charge of the two Broadstairs shops. Each generation of the Morelli family has helped the business grow. Marino Morelli kept the gelato business going strong. He also built a large coffee shop chain in the UK with over 30 locations. He even started a bakery and sandwich factory! The shops offered more than 20 flavours of ice cream, made right in front of customers. They also made many different ice cream sundaes. These sundaes are still made in Broadstairs, London, and in their many shops around the world.

Morelli's Today

Bibi Morelli, Marino's daughter, is now leading the 5th generation of the family business. She joined Morelli's Gelato in 2003 and took over completely in 2005 when her father retired. Bibi has helped the company grow internationally. She has opened many new shops around the world through a special business plan called franchising. For example, the company recently sold its operations in the UAE for a lot of money. They plan to open 17 more Morelli's gelato stores in the Middle East by 2020.

Where You Can Find Morelli's

Morelli's has shops in many places. Here are some of their well-known locations:

• Broadstairs, UK (their original, historic shop from 1932)
• Harrods, UK (they had a shop there from 2003 to 2013)
• Selfridge's, UK (they had a shop there from 2006 to 2010)
• The Avenue, Kuwait (opened in 2007)
• Café de Paris, Monaco (opened in 2008)
• Dubai Mall, UAE (opened in 2009)
• Covent Garden, London (opened in 2014)
• Mall of Emirates, Dubai (opened in 2015)
• Portobello Road, London (opened in 2016)

Morelli's in Portstewart, Northern Ireland