Rossi's

Rossi's is a traditional English ice-cream business based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Its identity is closely associated with the seaside resort, historic ice-cream parlours, and the manufacture of ice cream for both direct retail and wholesale distribution. The business was established in Southend in 1931 by Italian immigrants Massimiliano Agostino Rossi, commonly known as Agostino, and his wife Anna. Their first Southend shop operated at 37 High Street. Within a year, the business had expanded to premises at 1 Marine Parade and 12–14 Western Esplanade, the latter becoming the location of the business commonly known as the Original Rossi's Ice Cream parlour. The early business developed through family participation and a network of Italian immigrants working in the British ice-cream trade. In 1937, Anna's cousin Pietro Rossi joined the operation and took responsibility for the Marine Parade and Western Esplanade shops. Agostino continued separately with another shop at 99 Southend High Street. The company also relied on specialist production expertise: an Italian ice-cream maker known as Oustie worked for the Rossi family for more than three decades. Rossi's visual identity includes the slogan and logo concept “have a Rossi,” which was devised by Roger Branch, a close friend of Tony Rossi. The phrase helped connect the brand with the informal, celebratory character of seaside ice-cream consumption. Its principal heritage location remains at 12–14 Western Esplanade in Southend-on-Sea, while the manufacturing operation continues to serve a broader market than the original parlour network. The Rossi name has also been used by an unrelated ice-cream business associated with Weymouth. That history began when Fioravanti Figliolini and relatives from Cantù in Lombardy immigrated to England, initially trading in Newcastle upon Tyne before working with another Italian entrepreneur, Toni Rossi. In 1937, Fioravanti established a Weymouth parlour in premises that continued trading under the Rossi's name, although the Weymouth business and the Southend business were not connected. This distinction is important because the Wikipedia subject “Rossi's” concerns the Southend-on-Sea brand and business. In the modern period, Rossi Ice Cream has continued manufacturing in Southend-on-Sea and supplying Rossi parlours as well as supermarkets, theatres, and visitor attractions around the United Kingdom. In 2014, the business participated in an attempted world-record event at Garons Park involving a large gathering of people eating ice cream. In 2015, it introduced printed containers and began selling through Asda and the Co-operative, extending the brand beyond its traditional parlour format. The business was reported as being owned by Essex-based entrepreneur James Sinclair as of April 2021. Its appearance on the BBC programme Great British Railway Journeys in January 2020 further connected the brand with Southend's transport and seaside heritage. Rossi's remains an active regional food brand whose differentiation rests on longevity, local identity, traditional parlour service, and recognizable ice-cream products.

Rossi's originated in the Italian immigrant ice-cream tradition that became established in British seaside towns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Massimiliano Agostino Rossi, known as Agostino, and his wife Anna brought the Original Rossi ice-cream business to Southend-on-Sea in 1931. Their first shop was at 37 High Street. The following year they opened additional premises at 1 Marine Parade and 12–14 Western Esplanade, creating a presence in both the town centre and the seafront district. Family involvement shaped the company's early development. In 1937, Pietro Rossi, a cousin of Anna, joined the operation and took over the running of the Marine Parade and Western Esplanade shops. Agostino opened another shop at 99 Southend High Street. The business also employed specialist makers, including an Italian ice-cream maker known as Oustie, who worked for the Rossi family for more than thirty years. The Western Esplanade site became the enduring reference point for the Original Rossi's Ice Cream parlour. The brand's identity was later reinforced through its slogan and logo concept, “have a Rossi,” an idea credited to Roger Branch, a longtime friend of Tony Rossi. This expression supported the brand's association with casual seaside enjoyment and helped distinguish its public-facing identity. The Rossi name appears in a separate historical account connected with Weymouth. Fioravanti Figliolini, who had immigrated from Cantù in Lombardy with family members, initially traded in Newcastle upon Tyne and later worked with an entrepreneur named Toni Rossi. In 1937, Fioravanti established a Weymouth parlour in several former shops. Although that business continued to trade under the Rossi's name, it did not form part of the Southend enterprise. The two businesses therefore represent separate uses of the Rossi name rather than a single continuous chain. Rossi's modern operation continues to manufacture ice cream in Southend-on-Sea. Its distribution extends beyond company-associated parlours to supermarkets, theatres, and attractions throughout the United Kingdom. A 2014 event at Garons Park connected the business with an attempted world record involving the largest gathering of people eating ice cream. In 2015, the company introduced printed containers and entered supermarket distribution through Asda and the Co-operative. The brand received additional public exposure when it appeared on Great British Railway Journeys in January 2020. As of April 2021, Rossi Ice Cream (Southend-on-Sea) Ltd was reported as being owned by Essex-based entrepreneur James Sinclair.

• 2021

  Reported ownership by James Sinclair

  [1]Rossi'sen.wikipedia.org

  As of April, Rossi Ice Cream (Southend-on-Sea) Ltd is reported as being owned by Essex-based entrepreneur James Sinclair.

• 2020

  Television appearance

  [1]Rossi'sen.wikipedia.org

  Rossi's is featured on the BBC programme Great British Railway Journeys.

• 2015

  Packaged retail expansion

  [1]Rossi'sen.wikipedia.org

  The company launches printed containers and begins selling through Asda and the Co-operative.

• 2014

  World-record event participation

  [1]Rossi'sen.wikipedia.org

  Rossi's participates in an attempted world-record gathering at Garons Park involving people eating ice cream.

• 1937

  Pietro Rossi joins the Southend operation

  [1]Rossi'sen.wikipedia.org

  Pietro Rossi joins the family business and assumes responsibility for the Marine Parade and Western Esplanade shops, while Agostino opens another High Street location.

• 1932

  Seafront and town-centre expansion

  [1]Rossi'sen.wikipedia.org

  The business opens shops at 1 Marine Parade and 12–14 Western Esplanade.

• 1931

  Rossi's arrives in Southend-on-Sea

  [1]Rossi'sen.wikipedia.org

  Massimiliano Agostino Rossi and Anna Rossi establish the Original Rossi ice-cream business in Southend-on-Sea, initially operating from 37 High Street.

A heritage seaside ice-cream brand rooted in Southend-on-Sea, combining traditional parlour service with locally manufactured products distributed through retail and visitor-attraction channels.

• Ice cream · 1931

  Rossi's ice cream

  The brand's core product is ice cream manufactured in Southend-on-Sea. It is served directly through Rossi parlours and supplied to a range of external channels, including supermarkets, theatres, and visitor attractions around the United Kingdom.

• Retail packaged food · 2015

  Packaged Rossi's ice cream

  Rossi's expanded from parlour service into packaged retail distribution. Printed containers were introduced in 2015, when the company also began selling through Asda and the Co-operative, allowing consumers to purchase the brand outside its traditional seaside locations.

• 2014Garons Park ice-cream world-record attempt

  United Kingdom

  Rossi's participated in an event at Garons Park designed to attract the largest gathering of people eating ice cream.

  Outcome. The source describes the event as a world-record bid; it does not establish that a record was successfully achieved.

  Source

• 2015

  Introduction of printed containersProduct launch

  Background

  Rossi's sought to extend its traditional parlour identity into packaged retail and supermarket distribution.

  Action taken

  The company launched its first printed containers and began selling products through Asda and the Co-operative.

  Aftermath

  The move broadened the brand's presence beyond its Southend parlours into mainstream UK retail. No financial result is specified in the available source.

  Source

1. 1Rossi'sen.wikipedia.org