January 2014
Coppa di Gelato (CdG) opened a European style café/gelateria in 2003. The main attraction quickly became its exceptional gelato. During its first 5 years, it expanded to include multiple seasonal locations and simultaneously began a wholesale division, focused on providing its products to universities, restaurants, caterers, hotels etc.
It’s been said that running a business can be a “Rocky Road” at times, but at CdG the frozen treat business is described as a “Rainbow Highway” - which, incidentally, is one of the 200 flavours CdG currently produces.
In 2009, the company placed all of its attention on its wholesale business. CdG moved to a production facility in Komoka, where its clientele list grew to exceed the location's capacity.
CdG’s expansion plan would need to include southern Ontario agriculture, local employment, regional supply chains, skills training, dairy farmers of Ontario, provincial distribution routes and, eventually, an export strategy.
The company began gathering key resources, including knowledge and finance, in preparation for a 2012 expansion. The new facility would have to be large enough to meet new demands and to accommodate a foreseeable future growth.
The opportunity to provide gelato and other low-fat, dairy-free, frozen specialty items from Southern Ontario, would be an innovation in rural Ontario. The expansion plan was well received by OMAFRA and CFDC of Middlesex County.
In August of 2012, with the key resources in place, Coppa di Gelato moved to its new “provincially licensed facility” in Strathroy, Ontario. The new facility allowed CdG to meet and exceed its first year production projections. Sales opportunities grew.
Currently, the new facility is beginning to draw upon agricultural and dairy resources; the new production staff are gaining skills, and the facility is sourcing skilled regional trades people and utilizing regional transport systems. Most importantly though, it is quickly preparing for Summer of 2014. Acquiring new equipment has become imperative, in order to capture projected opportunities through “improving labour productivity”.
CdG now has a “Provincially approved” production space, in which to expand its operations. It has conducted years of due-diligence, compiled a significant waiting clientele list, and is growing forward with its acquired strengths.
CdG is poised to accept significant volume increase through the installation of additional equipment in early 2014. Its current thinking would allow it to expand in 2015 to other provinces and begin exporting to US retailers who have been successfully approached.
The owners, Jeff Swann and Viviane Swann, are seasoned business people who approach the company’s future with eyes wide open. “Through innovation, versatility and perseverance, we intend to provide highly effective management, professionalism, excellent products and prompt service.”