“It’s a wonderful thing to win this championship. Winning the lottery can’t feel better than this,” exclaimed managing director Filippo Mancini. “We are always trying to improve our products and keep our standards the highest we can. The competition is judged by a panel of experts drawn from the industry who taste product from the best gelato makers in the business. That makes winning even more special.”
For 106 years four generations of the Mancini family have been making and selling award winning ice-cream from the Royal Cafe in Ayr. The company also supplies events – including their famous gelato weddings – and has just opened a new parlour, Mancini's @ the beach on Prestwick seafront.
The championships are normally held at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show in Harrogate and hundreds of products are submitted across thirteen categories. Because of the pandemic this show was cancelled.
“The ICA decided that despite lockdowns and severe restrictions on trading we needed to show our sectors resilience by continuing with these annual awards,” commented Zelica Carr, ICA CEO. “I want to thank all those who entered and our dedicated panel of judges who tasted the entries and selected winners in a socially distanced and Covid secure procedure at our head office.”
“Congratulations to Filippo and his team at Mancini’s,” added Zelica. “There was very stiff competition, but Mancini’s manages to combine the very best of ingredients, with skill and tried and tested recipes – and the results speak for themselves.”
Ice cream parlours and gelato vans have been hard hit in this pandemic losing a total of £289million in income in 2020*. That is just the tip of the iceberg when you add lost gelato sales in cafes, restaurants and hotels and the economic impact to businesses along the supply chain – manufacturers, flavour houses, wholesalers and others. That is why the ICA has launched Great British Ice Cream Staycation campaign, in which Mancini’s of Ayr is participating, to support gelato sales in the hospitality sector.
For more information on Mancini’s of Ayr visit: www.mancinisicecream.co.uk
For more information on the ICA visit: www.ice-cream.org
*The ICA surveyed members in March 2021