Major national award for Morelli’s quality sorbet

Morelli’s Ice Cream, a leading Northern Ireland innovator and producer in dairy desserts, has won its first major national award for sorbet.

Based in Coleraine, Morelli’s, better known internationally for its premium Italian-style ice cream, gained the prestigious award in the highly competitive Sorbet Class for its mango sorbet. The award was presented at a gala event held in the annual Ice Cream Alliance Awards in Harrogate.

“We are delighted to have won our first award for sorbet in the highly influential event for the UK’s highly successful ice cream industry,” says Naldo Morelli, the company’s managing director. “It is immensely encouraging to see our sorbet recognised as excellent by a panel of expert judges from our industry,” he adds.

The family business has been making quality ice cream in Northern Ireland for over a century and has expanded successfully into neighbouring markets such as Great Britain and the Republic. Among new customers in Britain won by the Northern Ireland business is Morrison’s supermarkets. It also supplies ice cream to Tesco in the Republic of Ireland as well as Northern Ireland.

The company, which has also pioneered the production of a dairy-free ice cream, has regularly won awards for excellence in quality and taste, and was named the UK’s best producer of ice cream last year

The Ice Cream Alliance is the voice for the UK’s £1 billion ice cream industry. The conference in Harrogate included the Ice Cream & Artisan Food Show, a unique event showcasing the entirety of the ice cream industry.

A huge assortment of ice cream varieties, equipment and supplies are showcased across the three-day event. However, this event is not just about ice cream. The industry is more inclusive than ever, and this is no better represented than at this show.

Morelli’s has also produced an award winning frozen yoghurt using yoghurt sourced from Clandeboye Estate in Bangor. The yoghurt subsequently collected a gold medal at the Blas na hEireann Awards – The Irish National Food Awards – held annually at Dingle.

The company employs 20 people at Coleraine.

Marino Morelli with the Silver Challenge Cup for Sorbet-Mango