THE award-winning Jannettas Gelateria is expanding its operations to increase production in a bid to meet retail demand as well as develop the wholesale side of the business. This expansion has created two jobs, with more expected in the future.
The family-run business, which has been producing delicious gelato for 114 years, has secured a new facility at Queensway Technology and Business Park (Phase 1) in Glenrothes. This 1,400 sq.ft. unit, will be used solely for storage, as the business seeks to ramp up production at its existing premises in the same industrial estate.
Jannettas produces ice cream at its shop in St Andrews, as well as at Queensway 1 in busy months. But, to meet demand from customers at its St Andrews and Dundee shops, it needs to ramp up production ahead of growing the wholesale side of the business.
Jannettas received the keys to the new premises in March 2022 and has recruited two new members of staff. This number will increase as the wholesale side of the business progresses.
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There is currently huge demand for Jannettas ice cream, with footfall to both shops very high. The Dundee shop, which opened in April last year, continues to go from strength to strength, whilst its original St Andrews shop has had a revamp to create a new style of service to increase footfall, reduce queues, and make the experience more memorable for customers. There are also plans to create demonstration areas.
This has all come from a sizeable investment. Owen Hazel, Managing Director of Jannettas Gelateria, commented:
“We’re putting in place the next stage of our expansion. The revamp of the St Andrews store has already seen an increase in footfall, with the queuing speed up by around 50 per cent, and the Dundee shop, on the waterfront, has seen huge demand too. Therefore, we need to increase production!
“We’ve secured the lease of new premises from Fife Council Economic Development for a sizeable unit at Queensway 1, which will be a storage facility, enabling us to ramp up production at our existing unit in Glenrothes. Our plan over the coming months is to kit out the new unit, train our new team members, increase production for our shops, and gradually develop our wholesale reach, starting close to home.”
Owen continued:
“We are a small, family-run business with our sights set on growth, but our expansion will be gradual, as we’re also very focused on safeguarding what makes Jannettas so special – our people; our delicious products; and our high levels of customer service.”
Fife Council Economic Development’s Business Property Team has leased this new unit to Jannettas Gelateria to support its expansion strategy. Owen added:
“As an existing tenant of Fife Council’s Business Property Team it made sense to start there, and see what potential facilities they had available. We were so fortunate that they had one becoming vacant just across from our existing unit at Queensway 1 in Glenrothes. It was great timing, and the team made it extremely easy for us.”
Pamela Stevenson, Service Manager, Economic Development, Business & Employability at Fife Council, said:
“It so encouraging that this long-established business is growing and developing its operations here in Fife with the creation of two jobs now, and possibly more in the future. It’s exciting too, that now others from slightly further afield will have the opportunity to enjoy Jannettas’ wonderful range of award-winning ice cream!”
