OUR HISTORY:
The Crolla’s Story
Crolla’s have been making traditional Italian ice cream in Glasgow for over a hundred years. It was 1895 when a young Serafino Crolla exchanged the warm sunshine of Italy for the less predictable climes of Scotland, setting up his first shop in Queen Mary Street, Glasgow.
His son, Giuseppe, opened a second shop in Clydebank, and after the first World War he returned to Scotland and opened Premier Cafe in Main Street, Bridgeton. This was followed by expansion into the two adjoining premises.
By 1950 the family had started up an ice cream factory and had 30 vans selling their delicious ice cream around the streets of Glasgow.
Today the firm still supplies ice cream vans but has expanded to supply shops, cafes, wholesalers, restaurants and hotels. Although as firmly committed as ever to producing top quality ice cream, a look through this website gives some idea of the range of products Crolla’s now supplies.
Peter Crolla, Serafino’s great-grandson, has now established the fourth generation of Crolla’s – a family firm in the true sense of the word. Together with their customers and staff they look forward to future developments in the history of the Crolla Ice Cream Company.
PROUD OWNERS OF SOAVES SINCE FEBRUARY 2023
Soaves History:
The Soave family originated from the town of Cassino, not far from Rome. Like many Italians of the same generation, the family made the decision to go in search of a better life, and in 1914 emigrated to the “sunnier climes” of Scotland!
The family cafe and Ice Cream business began in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, and remained there during the first half of the century.In the early 1950’s, “Uncle Angie” purchased ‘Muirhead Cafe’, and it is on this same site that Eric Soave, having taken over the mantle of his much loved uncle in 1972, later constructed a modern plant from which he continues to produce the award winning ice cream.
It was at this time that the now famous Soave recipe was perfected. While the company has moved with the times in terms of technical advances in the ice cream making world, they have resisted the temptation, in these commercial times to alter the original family recipe. Distributing widely throughout Scotland, we produce a vast selection of flavours (from which Raspberry Ripple, Traditional Scottish Tablet, Honeycomb Sensation and of course, the unequalled Vanilla Royale, rate among the favourites!).
