The historic Cioccolateria Banchini, a Parma-based company that has been conquering the city with its sweet creations for more than a century, is expanding its product range by introducing its first line of artisanal ice creams.
From the elegance of the bars of Bean to Bar chocolate to mouth-watering pralines to the iconic “Biscotti della Duchessa”-which has become the Emilian city’s cookie par excellence-, Cioccolateria Bianchini also becomes an Gelato Shop from this year, introducing brand-new, irresistible novelties.
From classic flavors, such as “Zabaione with Marsala Intorcia Heritage 2004” and “Massa di Cacao Bean to Bar from Hacienda Victoria – Ecuador,” to seasonal flavors, including tempting sorbets such as “Ciliegia Moretta di Vignola” to the latest experiments such as lavender, elderberry and jasmine infusions, to be enjoyed year-round in the Parma store at 121 Via La Spezia.
The Historic Family Passion of Cioccolateria Banchini
Founded in 1879 by Gian Battista Banchini and boldly reopened in 2012 by his great-great-grandson Giacomo, now the sole owner, along with two partners Marianna and Giacomo “Jack” Bonaventura, Cioccolateria Gelateria Banchini is a historic business that aims to proudly carry on the family’s artisanal tradition and a piece of Parma’s history.
The Art of an Exceptional Gelato
Starting with chocolate, made according to the Bean to Bar philosophy – following all the processes of cocoa transformation, from the beans to the bar, the company looks to self-produce almost all the preparations, which has earned it important awards, such as the recent bronze medal at the International Chocolate Awards 2023-the most important competition in the world dedicated to artisanal chocolate-for the “Peru’ Ucayali 72%” bar.
Even for the ice cream, masterfully made by young gelato maker Alessia Palmitessa, all the variegations and dried fruit pastes are produced in-house and stone ground in the laboratory. For their creations, Banchini’s Cioccolateria makes use of quality, zero-kilometer raw materials, such as BIO milk and butter from the Azienda Agricola Persegona farm in Fidenza, as well as aromatic and medicinal plants typical of the area, such as Erba Luigia and Violetta di Parma, as well as edible flowers, such as lavender, elderberry and acacia, grown by the Azienda Agricola La Spinosa farm in Collecchio. The selected ingredients are then balanced with natural thickeners, without the use of industrial semi-finished products, dyes and hydrogenated fats.
In addition to the milk-based classics, Banchini also offers a range of lactose-free sorbets, suitable for people with food intolerances and those following a vegan diet.
For this summer, the renowned Parma-based company has already activated an important collaboration: the “Chocolavie” project with Fidenza’s “Magritte Gelati al Cubo” ice cream shop, 3 Gambero Rosso cones, led by ice cream maker Gian Luca Cavi.
Until June 30, in fact, the two outlets are exchanging a chocolate-based flavor made specifically for the initiative: Cioccolateria Banchini is offering its customers “Fondente, Olio, Alloro” ice cream, designed by Magritte, which instead is offering Banchini’s “Lavanda Flor Cacao,” a sorbet made with Persegona Organic Butter, in which cocoa mass from Hacienda Victoria in Ecuador meets fragrant lavender from the La Spinosa farm in Collecchio.