The Utrecht ice cream shop Roberto Gelato usually starts the new season with a party. Award-winning ice cream makers from Italy would visit the store this week to make their best ice cream flavors, but the corona virus is throwing a spanner in the works.
The spread of the Covid-19 virus in northern Italy is causing panic in the regions of Lombardy and Veneto. 11 municipalities have been closed, shops have been closed and everyone has to stay home, “It is really very intense,” says Carlina Coletti, co-owner of the ice cream shop against RTL Z.
It is the reason that their annual opening party cannot take place. Six of the seven ice makers who would come to live near the areas affected by coronavirus. “For their and our safety, we have decided not to let it go”, her husband Roberto Coletti had to report on Facebook.
“Months spent”
“And we think that’s really, really, a shame,” says Carlina. “We have been working on it for months and have considered postponing the opening. But nobody knows how long this will take.”
That is why the business will open as usual this Friday and the turnover of the day will be donated to a charity, as with every opening, this time a research fund of the Antonius hospital in Utrecht. Normally a few thousand euros will be collected on such a day, says Carlina.
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Detour for an ice cream
“I knew from people outside Utrecht that they wanted to come, I hope they still want to detour for an ice cream.” Many customers in any case respond fully to social media. On a beautiful summer’s day, a row of 10 meters or 10 can be placed at your doorstep.
One of the ice cream toppers to come is Barbara Bettera, who won the Coppa d’Oro 2020, a prize that is awarded to the tastiest ice cream at a major Italian ice-cream market.
“Every year the jury chooses a different taste that all participants must make,” says Carlina. This year around 100 participants made hazelnut ice cream and Bettera won.
Coppa d’Oro
Roberto won himself last year with vanilla ice cream. He was therefore excluded from participation this year. “But he was on the jury and that is why he was able to make all these contacts and get everyone to visit Utrecht,” says Carlina.
The entrepreneurial couple hopes that the party can continue in the future, but it is not clear when that would be possible. The ice season will close again on 6 October.
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