To celebrate National Ice Cream month, we look back at i-cone-ic images of Rossi Ice Cream in Southend.
The first Rossi ice cream parlour opened in 1932 at 37 High Street in Southend.
The parlour was opened by Massimiliano Agostino with his wife Anna Rossi whose ice cream was based on a traditional Italian recipe of fresh milk, butter and double cream.
A further parlour was opened at 1 Marine Parade and they formed a partnership with Pietro Rossi, a distant cousin of Anna’s, who had moved to Southend from Consett, County Durham.
Read more:
- End of an era as 90-year-old Southend ice cream company Rossi is sold
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The partnership dissolved in 1938. It was agreed Pietro Rossi and his wife Luisa would trade along the seafront, while keeping 1 Marine Parade and later the Westcliff parlour was opened; they then built a factory in Lucy Road in the late 1960s.
During Colin Gray’s 15-year tenure there was a brand refresh, including new packaging, and the purpose-built factory was opened in Temple Farm Industrial Estate.
This year the time was right for Colin to pass the ice-cream baton on to businessman James Sinclair.
Visit www.rossiicecream.com for details.
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