Master ice cream manufacturer and confectioner Albert Giulianotti of Aberdeen has died aged 86.
Born into an Italian family who moved to Scotland in the 1890s, he developed the family ice cream business into an award-winning enterprise.
Holburn Ices were renowned around the north-east and, in the 1980s, supplied many of the UK’s major supermarkets.
Masterpiece
Albert, known as Bert, also mastered cake decoration and famously presented Yehudi Menuhin with a violin-shaped cake on a visit to Aberdeen.
Bert supplied family cafes such as the Soda Fountain, Rendezvous Cafe and the Holburn Cafe. His family will also be remembered for introducing the knickerbocker glory to Aberdeen in the 1950s.
Migration
His was one of many families who moved to Scotland from Borgo val di Taro in northern Italy in the 1890s.
Albert’s innovative family initially became famous for its fish and chip shop in Chapel Street, Peterhead, in the early 1900s.
His grandfather, Antonio, commissioned an engineer to build two fryers to work in tandem but at different temperatures so that fish and chips could be served at speed.
Customer service
The family also provided a free bowl of freshly made crisps on the counter for customers to nibble while they waited.
Albert excelled right through school and completed his education at Aberdeen’s Middle School as Dux.
A keen footballer while he was an apprentice tool maker, Albert nearly trialled for Aberdeen Football Club but left his apprenticeship in the early 1950s to join the RAF.
Military
He started as a junior aircraft technician and served his country for 12 years in, among other places, Australia, Aden, Malta, Gibraltar, Ballykelly and Kinloss.
On leaving the RAF, Albert had achieved the rank of senior aircraft technician, first class.
Around this time he met and married his wife of 61½ years, Agnes, with whom he raised five children.
Musician
Agnes herself was a local celebrity, an accomplished entertainer on the piano.
Once dubbed Scotland’s Winifred Atwell and having appeared on many a stage, Albert met Agnes while she entertained at the East Neuk’s dance club in King Street, Aberdeen.
Albert joined the family ice cream manufacturing business to be alongside his father and uncles who were the founders of what was then known as Holburn Dairy Ice Cream (Giulianotti Brothers Ltd), in a factory off Jack’s Brae on Stevenson Lane.
Winners
Already multi award-winning ice cream makers in the 1950s, Holburn Ices would soon achieve the coveted gold medal award from the Ice Cream Alliance for its exceptional quality and taste in the 1960s after Albert joined.
For the next two decades, Albert’s confectionery skills won many further awards.
Using his engineering skills, he also helped introduce some of the early ice cream manufacturing technologies to the north-east.
Variety
After mastering the art of cake decoration and ice cream flavourings, Albert boasted he could make any flavour of ice cream in the world.
American oilmen in the 1970s would request champagne, whisky, Cointreau or Baileys ice cream for lavish parties.
Many people may still remember a birthday or Christmas cake, even wedding cakes, on the celebration table made by Albert.
Creations
Cake designs in ice cream included crinoline ladies, an American football field, His Majesty’s Theatre, the island of Corsica and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Probably one of Albert’s most famous creations was for the famous violinist, Yehudi Menuhin. When Yehudi was in Aberdeen, he was presented with a cake in the shape of a violin made of ice cream by Albert.
Secret
The original vanilla recipe, known as the mix, was always a closely guarded Giulianotti secret and is still known to this day by only a few individuals.
Many north-east ice cream vans sold a cappie, or sliders made with Holburn ice cream and the firm, under Albert, went on to land major supermarket deals in the 1980s.
Although the family business ceased trading in the early 1990s, Albert had already passed on knowledge to a local milk producer who wanted to begin ice cream production.
Legacy
Albert’s son Derek said: “Albert’s generosity in helping that producer with the ratio of ingredients to produce bulk dairy ice cream, no doubt helped them on their journey and they still have a product which is described as The Original Dairy Ice Cream which is as close as it gets to the original Giulianotti recipe.
“Maybe that producer one day may call one of its products, Alberto’s Vanilla, as a tribute to Albert.
Memories
“Holburn Ices may no longer exist but the memory of Albert’s skills and distinctive flavourings in ice cream confectionery will no doubt linger on the taste buds of generations of Aberdonians still alive today.”
Albert is survived by his wife, four sons, a daughter, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Tribute
Derek added: “Albert was dedicated and loyal to his family, in particular to his wife with whom he did not get the opportunity to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in October 2020 because of Covid.
“The family would like to thank staff at Kirkburn Court Residential Care Home in Peterhead who provided high quality care for Albert for three years.
“Their support and respect for Albert during these difficult times was commendable. The family also want to thank Mark Shaw Funeral Services for their support and guidance.”
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