Guido Martinetti

Grom is a chain of fantastic ice-cream shops: in March 2011 there were 33 in Italy, from Alessandria to Viareggio, and 4 in the world (Malibu, New York, Paris and Tokyo). It is a project which we owe to two young men from Piedmont, Federico Grom and Guido Martinetti who, after studying at Bocconi and gaining a range of different experiences also in the world of wine, asked themselves how they could make an important mark on one of the many planets that make up the galaxy of good food, without being tied to the Martinetti cellar.

On the strength of their studies in economy, useful to help them with their accounts, they identified two very popular areas both of which required an increase in quality: «Pizza or ice-cream. We chose the second option, but it had to be absolute, free from compromise», explained Martinetti one day. He and his partner opened the first laboratory in May 2003, in a central area of Turin. It was so successful that they continued with their project and, in January 2005, they made a big investment in a bigger laboratory, in a completely different area, where they produce the bases for distribution in the shops that they were soon to open in other cities.

Everything took place in spring in Milan, Florence, Genoa, Padua and Parma with a few adjustments to guarantee the same level of quality, such as using a specific type of mineral water and never the various waters that flow from domestic taps and don’t always leave you feeling particularly happy. The liquid bases are made in Turin and distributed three times a week to the various shops, where they are blended according to a specific method. As regards the ingredients, only the finest are used: Ribera strawberries, Bronte pistachio nuts, Sfusato lemon from Amalfi, Tonda Gentile delle Langhe hazelnuts, Leonforte peaches, Guatemala Antigua Pastores coffee, and the chocolate of Gobino.