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ALMOST 100 years ago, Benedetto Sidoli founded a company in the Welsh town of Ebbw Vales that would go on the become loved by generations – Sidoli’s Ice Cream.

At the age of just 12, he had made the three-week journey from Bardi in Italy to Cwm to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Bert who had already found work in the thriving South Wales Valleys.

The only flavour produced was vanilla and Benedetto would produce two gallons daily at the rear of his cafe in the heart of Ebbw Vale town.

Now almost a century later, ice cream is still big business for the Sidoli family and the company is in the capable hands of Benedetto’s grandson Mark, while his great-grandsons, Stefano and Dominic, are also very much at the heart of the firm.

“Obviously being born into the family I’ve been a part of it for as long as I can remember,” says Stefano.

“From the age of 13 I would go down and help load the vans during the summer holidays. As time went on, I would help out in the production of the ice cream.”

Stefano went to university in Swansea after completing his A-levels to study business management and marketing. After going backpacking, he joined the family business full time.

“When I first joined I was doing a bit of everything – from production to marketing. My father has started to wind down and I’ve taken on more management.”

Sidoli’s is based in Market Street where there’s also a cafe and the company also has an ice cream parlour at the designer outlet MacArthur Glen in Bridgend.

The main part of the company is the “scoop business” which is providing ice cream to ice cream parlours, cafes, pubs and restaurants as well as sundaes and desserts. They also supply theatres and convenience stores with little tubs of ice cream.