Gelato & Co. raises its cones this month to celebrate a milestone marking a decade of decadent delight in Grand Cayman and Camana Bay. As a purveyor of authentic Italian gelato, Gelato & Co. has become a favourite of locals and visitors alike with its exceptional flavours crafted from fresh ingredients.
“I believe that high-quality ingredients are the core of the business and people understand quality,” said Marcella Morelli Franceschi, one-half of the dynamic duo behind the gelateria along with her husband, Stefano Franceschi.
The inspiration behind Gelato & Co. came when the couple — then living in Italy — visited friends in Grand Cayman. They quickly fell in love with the island.
“Cayman was an easy choice," Morelli Franceschi said. "After our first visit with friends, it remained in our hearts. Camana Bay, a pretty and new development back then, was perfect. We thought it would be the perfect residential and touristic area, perfect for an ice cream and pastry concept like ours."
That concept aligned perfectly with Franceschi's passion for desserts. His experience and training in the field made it the perfect business to open at just the right time.
“It's incredible that 10 years have gone by already and how successful Gelato & Co. has become since the first shop in Camana Bay," Morelli Franceschi said. "It has been an incredible experience for us."
The business has since grown beyond Camana Bay and Cayman. Gelato & Co. launched a location on Cardinal Avenue, in George Town, and in 2014 partnered with international hotel chain Marriott to provide gelato inside the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. The company went on to open several international stores in locations throughout the United States, Panama, Aruba and more. The company now offers investors franchise opportunities.
The couple say they've created deep friendships and lasting memories over the last 10 years and appreciate the Caymankind way of life. But as they reflect on the past decade, they also are looking to the future.
“It's been an incredible journey for us over the last 10 years that flew by," Morelli Franceschi said. "Stefano and I were happy to move to other projects — which we can't spoil now — but yes, it is time for us to make a change."
The torch now passes to the trusted hands of their new supervisors Manuel DeFlorio and Azzurra Ceruso, who will steer the ship at Gelato & Co. in Grand Cayman.
A decade may have passed, but the story of Gelato & Co. appears to be far from over.
This article was originally featured in the September/October 2023 print edition of Camana Bay Times.