Kelly's of Cornwall ice cream

Kelly's of Cornwall is a prominent British ice cream brand with deep roots in Cornish heritage. The brand's history began in the late 19th century in St Austell, Cornwall, founded by Joseph Staffieri, an Italian immigrant who originally operated an ice cream and fish and chip business. In 1918, his son-in-law, Lazero Calicchia, took over and began expanding the delivery network throughout the county using horse-drawn carts and eventually vans. The family officially adopted the surname 'Kelly' in the 1930s to simplify the brand for the local market.

Known for its signature Cornish clotted cream ice cream, the company moved its operations to a purpose-built facility in Bodmin in the 1970s. While it started as a local family business, it achieved national prominence following its acquisition by R&R Ice Cream (a predecessor to Froneri) in 2008. Today, the brand is owned by Froneri, one of the world's largest ice cream manufacturers, yet it maintains its traditional manufacturing site in Bodmin, sourcing its primary ingredients like whole milk and clotted cream from local dairy farms within Cornwall.