Our Story
The Aceituno Vidal family has been in charge of the business in the Colònia de Sant Jordi for 50 years. In 1969, Juan Vidal bought the inn, Colonial ice cream parlor and there began the family story. The year 1973 passed into the hands of Manuel Aceituno and Jacoba Vidal being the second generation, they were years of changes both for the inn where it first became a pension and later a hostel and the ice cream parlor that in 1982 was registered as an industry and bought the first Italian machinery. Currently Joan Aceituno Vidal continues to be the third generation in charge of the business with his wife Francisca López. “We continue to work very hard day by day to satisfy our customers with the quality and creaminess of our ice creams from Gelateria Colonial”.
Three generations
Joan Aceituno Vidal began his career in the ice cream parlor when he was very young. At the age of 10 he was already dedicated to helping his father in everything he could. « In the 70s we used to go to the farm to fetch the milk from the dairy to prepare the mixture and let it rest with ice overnight. We got up at 4 or 5 in the morning to make the ice cream, during the day it was very difficult in the heat and the ice cream was not the same. It was all more difficult than now. We were only able to make four or five different flavors. Over time the way to make ice cream and sell it has changed a lot », he comments.
Joan has always considered himself a hard worker and spends most of his day on ice cream:
«I AM ALL DAY IN BUSINESS, UNLIKE OTHER OWNERS, ONLY I WORK THE ICE CREAM, EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH MY HANDS FROM THE FORMULATION, ELABORATION TO CONSERVATION. IT’S SOMETHING I CONSIDER IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESS. I LIKE TO HAVE IT ALL UNDER CONTROL “IT’S A PASSION” I LIKE TO LIVE WITH MY PRODUCT EVERY DAY. »
As for the advantages and disadvantages of being in charge of a family business, the balance is more on the positive side according to Joan: «We are 17 workers and the fact that this is a family business makes us all very united and it is easy to work, although there can always be some other inconvenience», affirms.
Variety and tradition
Despite having a wide variety of flavors available to the client, Joan knows which ones are preferred by consumers: «Traditional ice creams are the most sold: chocolate, vanilla, lemon, cookies, strawberry … as personal proposals and as tests we have made ice creams of all kinds: wasabi, white chocolate with cinnamon, mustard ice cream, avocado, yogurt with honey, caramelized sesame and even sobrasada. However, I am one of those who think that ice cream must always be sweet»
Our family ice cream parlor continues to preserve, since its inception 50 years ago, the same spirit and passion for the artisanal elaboration of a quality and healthy product. Always seeking to offer the best to the Mallorcan public and to our visitors from all over the world.
Life in Photos
We are ECO
La Gelatería Colonial es la primera heladería artesanal de Baleares con certificación de producción ecológica. El certificado fue concedido por el Consell Balear de la Producció Agrària Ecològica (CBPAE).
Artisan elaboration
With the best raw materials and decades of experience.
Ecological ice creams
We make our ice creams with the healthiest organic ingredients.
Vegan Ice Cream
(From rice milk), sugar free and lactose free.
