Condorelli
Condorelli is the story of a Sicilian family that has become the story of many families around the world. It all started in 1933 when Francesco Condorelli opened his first pastry shop in his grandfather's former home. Francesco was passionate about pastry, and he studied with the best pastry chefs in Catania and practised a lot in the afternoons after school. He even modelled the marzipan fruit until nightfall and the next day went to Catania by bike to buy the material. Francesco's pastry shop served liqueurs, sweets, and coffee, but not everyone drank it because it was considered a vice. In the 1940s, Francesco took over the management of Professor Caudullo's ice cream parlour and the Villa Fiorita restaurant in San Gregorio. He dedicated himself to desserts and wedding banquets, and the restaurant in Belpasso grew, was restructured, and was enriched with futuristic machines such as planetariums. Francesco travelled extensively during these years, made agreements with representatives from Naples, Rome, and Salerno, and faced new challenges, such as a new company in Paternò. In the 1960s, Francesco raised the Belpasso building and created kitchens and a large hall for ceremonies and dancing evenings on the upper floors. Famous artists such as Peppino Di Capri, Perez Prado, and Marcella Bella participated, and people danced on Saturday evenings and at Carnival. During an invitation to dinner with some friends in 1965, Francesco was served nougat that was tough to break, and the work ruined the taste and appearance of the dessert. Back home, Francesco saw his mother pounding almonds in a mortar to enjoy them despite her few teeth. She promised him that this would end and that he would eat a soft nougat, and everyone would do it. This was the beginning of the idea of making a soft nougat. In the 1970s, Francesco bought a 6 thousand square meter warehouse, a huge investment to which was associated with the purchase of machines. For the first time, the hitherto hand-cut pieces of nougat were treated by machines. 7,000 kilos of almonds became 15,000 kilos of nougat! Francesco discovered advertising in the 1980s, sponsored a local program, and gave away a golden nougat for the winner of the quiz. He started exporting to the world, from the New York Fair to Australia. In 1987, Leo Gullotta became a historic testimonial. In 1993, Francesco thought of selling the company, but his son Giuseppe convinced him otherwise. He joined the company and participated in the Belpasso Condorelli Confectionery Industry. The company continued to grow, and Francesco Condorelli, on the threshold of 90 years, was an emeritus citizen of Belpasso and continued to receive honours. In the 2000s, the non-profit Cav Foundation was born, which contributed to the socio-economic growth of the area, the training of young people, the dissemination of culture in companies, and the export of Made in Sicily. It collaborated with the university, created important events and awards, and got talked about in the newspapers. Today, Condorelli brings the taste of Sicilian pastry art everywhere and exports it to 27 countries worldwide. It sells on e-commerce, and talks on social media with the many families who have grown up with the company and its flavours. The world has changed so much over the years, but Condorelli has always taken and valued the good.
