De Melo bring a taste of Italy to Teesside

December 16th 2016

A Teesside business that’s won recognition from Sir Richard Branson is joining forces with one of the world’s leading Italian icecream flavour houses to launch its own range of handmade gelatos – with plans to sell it wholesale.

De Melo is joining forces with Aromitalia, one of Italy’s oldest flavour houses, owned by the Ferrero family, who produce high-quality gelato ingredients at their production facility in the Piedmont region within the foothills of the Alps. Husband-and-wife directors Imran and Nadia Ayoub will sell their range of authentic handmade gelato from their coffee house and dessert lounge on Middlesbrough’s Linthorpe Road.

Since De Melo launched early in 2015 customers have enjoyed a menu that includes American-style sundaes, waffles, wafer baskets, crepes, patisserie cakes and super-sized ‘freak shakes’ but from December 9 customers can also choose from a range of 16 different flavours of gelato and sorbet including traditional favourites such as strawberry and raspberry ripple containing fresh fruit and French vanilla and,for those with more refined tastes, Aromitalia’s flagship flavour, Ferrero Rocher, is expected to prove extremely popular.

De Melo will join an elite group of gelato manufacturers based in the North East – and are in advanced talks that will make them the Tees Valley’s first wholesaler of authentic gelato and could have the capacity to produce up to 44 different flavours from their manufacturing unit on Riverside Industrial Estate.

The launch has been made possible thanks to a £12,200 grant from Tees Valley Business Compass, while Imran continues to benefit from being a Virgin Startup Ambassador that resulted in a face-to-face business advice meeting with Sir Richard Branson at the home of the multi-millionaire entrepreneur.

Part of Tedco’s Start and Grow programme, De Melo have already invested £15,000 into equipment including storage freezers, fridges, ovens, pasteurisers, shelving, preparation tables and kitchen utensils, while they will take delivery of a freezer van for wholesale deliveries early in the New Year.

The idea of De Melo launching their own range of gelato was the brainchild of Wafer manufacturer, Greco Bros managing director Tony Rovardi, who has a longstanding business relationship with Aromitalia.

Imran said: “It was Tony who convinced me that creating our own range of artisan gelato as a premium product would not only save us money but allow us to expand our range and diversify into so many different flavours of gelato, creating a new market for the product. More importantly, we will be creating a higher quality product.

“Tony put me in contact with Aromitalia and convinced them to send their head technician here to personally work with us, so I owe him a great debt of gratitude. As one of Italy’s oldest gelato flavour houses, Aromitalia are world leaders in what they do."

Imran, who is one of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Start-up Ambassadors, added: “What we are doing wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Tees Valley Business Compass, so we’re hugely grateful to them. The investment has safeguarded the jobs of two members of staff, but we plan to create a minimum of three new positions over the next 24 months."

Imran was chosen by Sir Richard as a result of his work ethic and commitment to sharing his entrepreneurial skills with others. He added: “Meeting Sir Richard was a life-changing moment and we continue to be in regular contact with his office. I know he will be watching the launch of our gelato range with great interest."

Middlesbrough FC goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopolous, Olympic long jumper Chris Tomlinson and World 60m sprint champion Richard Kilty were among the special guests at De Melo's launch party on 9 December.