| home | history | products | photos | find us | contact us |
History of Fredericks Ice Cream |
Frederick’s is proud to have been in business as a family run firm for over 100 years, one of the oldest in the town.
The business has seen many changes over the years and now specialises in luxury flavoured ice creams.
Frederick’s Ice Cream is the North West’s leading family owned and managed ice cream company, manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing Italian style ice cream.
The family originated from a small village called Setterone in the Appennini mountain region of the north west Italy in the province of Emila Romana, the closest city being Parma, where Parmesan cheese and Parma ham comes from. The company was established in St Helens by Mattia Federici and his brothers in 1896 when they arrived in England after having to leave Italy to find work. Mattia’s son, Matthew, married May Amelia Massa, who’s family had been making ice cream in the Chorley area since 1892 and who originated from a town called Vigiolo in the region of Liguria, Italy. When they married in 1936 they were bought the shop as a wedding gift from the Massa family. The company is presently run by Matthew and Mary’s son, Anthony and his wife, Elizabeth and their children, Donna, Roseanne and Louis, their daughter Anna works away from the company.
The site on Bolton Road is the base for all manufacturing and wholesaling for the company and this is where the flagship Ice Cream Parlour, which is successfully managed by family members Christine and Joanne, operates today. Over the past 10 years the company has also established Ice Cream Parlours at the Massa familys premises, which has been derelect for some time, on Cunliffe Street, Chorley and the latest edition in 2001 has seen the opening of the pavilion, Mesnes Park, Wigan.
The company currently employs 41 members of staff including 11 full-time and 30 part-time. Fredericks Ice Cream currently produces over 112 different flavours of ice cream with new ones being added constantly. The future plans of the company include opening a purpose built Ice Cream Parlour and leisure facility in the area, which is planned to be the biggest and best the country has seen.
Every year Frederick’s Ice Cream enter the National Ice Cream Competition and we have been delighted to receive many awards including Diplomas, Diplomas of Merit and Special Diplomas of Merit.
We have also won - The Silver Medal for Coffee flavour 1995, the Silver Medal for Vanilla in 2002 and ultimately we were Champions in 2001 winning the Silver Challenge Cup.
The Guild of Fine Foods "Great Taste Awards"; gold - hazelnut, silver - stracciatella, silver - lemon sorbet, bronze - vanilla
North West Fine Foods Best Sorbet - Sangria
Recipe 4 Health, healthy eating and environmet award
Click here for our latest newsletter [PDF]
