I had ice cream for breakfast at Equi's factory - here's what I found out about their latest flavour
I took at tour of the ice cream factory as the family-run brand takes top spot in Scotmid’s frozen aisles after its Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream was crowned a winner in the convenience retailer’s annual Scottish Favourites competition.
If you grew up in South Lanarkshire, or the West of Scotland in general, the fact that Equi’s ice cream is a Scottish Favourite will come as no great surprise. Pietro Equi left Coreglia Antelminelli in Tuscany in 1915 to seek his fortune and got as far as Hamilton, opening his own cafe on Burnbank Road, where he began crafting an Italian ice cream that has been part of local childhood memories for the last 103 years. Today, his grandson David and great-granddaughter Alex lead an expanding company that supplies around 300 cafes and has an increasing presence in supermarkets.
Both are enthusiastic advocates for their growing range of ice cream flavours and varieties, created here in a purpose built 10,000 sq ft factory in Rutherglen, opened in 2022, Equi’s centenary year. I’m joined in the boardroom by brand manager Alex, managing director David and Scotmid’s local sourcing manager Steve Addison.
Steve says: “Equi’s Ice Cream has been a favourite in Scotland for generations, and it’s honestly no surprise that their new Strawberry Cheesecake flavour won over our judging panel. They are a fantastic example of the passion and craftsmanship that defines Scotland’s food scene, which is exactly what we look for in our Scottish Favourites competition. We’re excited to bring their award-winning ice cream to our customers in Glasgow and Lanarkshire.” Run in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink, the Scottish Favourites competition celebrates top local suppliers, giving them a platform to reach new customers.
A portion of the award winning flavour appears, which will be my breakfast - followed by Nutella infused ice cream direct from the factory floor, consumed while darting in and out of cold storage rooms. The strawberry cheesecake flavour was developed over a two year period before becoming Equi’s latest break-out success. There’s a reassuring crunch from the cheesecake bits through the ice cream and sweet swirls of strawberries from Castleton Farm in Aberdeenshire. The milk for all the ice cream comes from ten miles away at Park Farm in Auldhouse. Continuing the South Lanarkshire connection is important, David tells me.
Alex Equi says: “We’re so proud to see Equi’s Ice Cream on the shelves at Scotmid. My great-grandfather started this business over 100 years ago, and while so much has changed, our focus on quality and commitment to Scottish ingredients has never wavered. Winning the Scottish Favourites competition is a huge honour, and we’re excited for Glaswegians and those living in Lanarkshire to enjoy our new Strawberry Cheesecake flavour—along with the rest of our range.”
That range is growing. This week they are trying out a new Dubai chocolate flavour in the Hamilton cafe - in 1965 David’s dad Robert moved Equi’s across the street at Burnbank Road, knocking two shops into one making room for a new restaurant, takeaway and parlour and its still the spiritual home of the business.
David is particularly proud of the family’s Pistachio Swirl ice cream, “if you ask any Italian what is their favourite ice cream, it will be pistachio”. It’s a flavour that’s increasingly popular in Scotland and will now be among the varieties available in Scotmid stores. For the record, Scottish tablet, Sea Salt and Caramel, Honeycomb Crunch are my three favourites from Equi’s. Maybe if I stick around there will be some of those available for lunch.
Alex explains about the new design for the Equi’s range which features an image of the statue of David by Michelangelo with an ice cream cone on his head, a nod to a Glasgow sense of humour. Their tagline is Scottish craft with an Italian accent, a motto that brings together the two strands of the family history.
The amount of cream, the amount of air, the quality of the ingredients you add - these are the three things that define an ice cream, I learn as trays are moved from machine to freezer and to storage. There are stacks of different ingredients that will be used for flavours, including bags of Belgian chocolate, “it’s the new gold”, David says. The base of the ice cream is prepared then combined with the core flavours before appearing from spouts and being collected in tubs and trays. Out back there are freezer vans ready to deliver ice cream all over Scotland. In fact, it travels further than that - their latest customer is a supermarket chain in Texas, taking Equi’s from Hamilton to America, via Rutherglen.