Morelli's facts for kids
| Industry | Production and retail of ice cream |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1907 |
| Founder | Giuseppe Morelli |
|
Area served
|
Worldwide |
|
Key people
|
Bibi Morelli |
Morelli's Gelato is a famous company that makes and sells delicious ice cream. It was started way back in 1907 by Giuseppe Morelli. He began by selling ice cream from a bicycle with his son, Mario. As their business grew, they started using an ice cream van. In 1932, they opened their very first ice cream parlour in Broadstairs, a lovely seaside resort.
Today, Morelli's has many locations around the world. You can find their ice cream in famous places like Harrods Food Hall and the historic Covent Garden market in London. They also have shops in places like Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and even Monte Carlo.
Morelli's also had a special summer shop at the vintage Dreamland Theme Park. Besides their amazing gelato, which is made fresh every day, they also serve their own special coffee. They are also known for their fancy, old-fashioned ice cream sundaes.
Morelli's has been featured in many TV shows and films, like Mary Berry's shows and BBC's The One Show. It was also mentioned in the movie The Lady in the Van. Many famous publications have praised Morelli's. The Telegraph called it one of the top 5 ice cream parlours in the UK. The Times and Stylist magazine also listed it among the best.
Contents
The Story of Morelli's Gelato
The Morelli family came to the UK from a village in Italy called Casalattico in 1907. Soon after, Mario Morelli started making ice cream. He sold it from his bicycle in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 1932, the family opened their first ice cream shop in Broadstairs, Kent. This shop is still open today and welcomes many visitors.
After Mario Morelli retired, his son Giuseppe Morelli took over the business in 1954. 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 flavors.
Growing the Family Business
In 1972, Giuseppe's oldest son, Marino Morelli, took charge of the two ice cream shops in Broadstairs. Each generation of the family has helped the business grow. Marino Morelli continued the gelato business. He also built one of the biggest private coffee shop chains in the UK at that time. He even had a bakery and a sandwich factory!
The shops continued to serve over 20 flavors of ice cream. They also made many different ice cream sundaes. These delicious treats are still made in Broadstairs, London, and in many other shops around the world.
Bibi Morelli, Marino's daughter, is now leading the family business. She is the 5th generation to do so! She joined Morelli's Gelato in 2003 and took over completely in 2005 when her father retired. Bibi has helped the company expand internationally. She has helped open many Morelli's gelato stores in different countries.
Morelli's Shops Around the World
Morelli's has opened many shops over the years. Here are some of their locations:
- Broadstairs, UK (opened 1932) – This is their original, historic shop.
- Harrods, UK (2003–2013)
- Selfridge's UK (2006–2010)
- The Avenue, Kuwait (2007)
- Café de Paris, Monaco (2008)
- Dubai Mall, UAE (2009)
- Saburtab, Tbilisi (2011)
- Mall of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (2011)
- Bahrain City Centre, Bahrain (2012)
- Rockwell, Manila (2012)
- Zaguan Bakery, Dallas (2012)
- ShangriLa Mall, Manila (2013)
- JBR, Dubai (2014)
- Bangsar Shopping Centre, Malaysia (2014)
- Covent Garden, London (2014)
- Mall of Emirates, Dubai (2015)
- Pont de Guegue, Libreville (2015)
- Portobello Road, London (2016)
- Empire Subang, Kuala Lumpur (2016)
Recent Shop Openings
Morelli's has continued to open new locations. Some of these include:
- Qatar, Mall of Qatar (2016)
- Mexico City (2016)
- Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi (2016)
