Stéphane and Laurent (right) Bernardoni took over the family business making homemade ice cream in 2010 -

Neige Azur

  • From secretary to delivery person, Neige Azur represents a dozen employees.

  • The family business has always worked with professionals.

    For four years, it has been established in private homes through supermarkets and schools in Nice.

  • With Covid-19, “demand has exploded”.

When the first confinement was announced, the two brothers Laurent and Stéphane Bernardoni said to themselves that they were living the last moments of Neige Azur.

For three generations, these artisanal ice cream makers, whose factory is in Carros, near Nice, have worked exclusively with professionals.

“Like everyone else, we weren't ready,” comments Laurent Bernardoni.

We then self-motivated.

From the beginning of April, we went hunting for supermarkets to set up in the only brands that remained open and where consumers would continue to go ”.

After a year, the results "are not good but we are still there", reassures the Niçois.

Of the two million turnover, the company lost 400,000 euros.

The recipe, “we've been working on it for four years”.

“In 2017, we started working with mass distribution so that individuals know where the ice cream they eat in restaurants comes from.

Since the Covid, demand has exploded.

And for good reason, Neige Azur is the last manufacturer in France to make its ice creams and sorbets in an artisanal way with a production of 1,000 one-liter jars per day.

“With the health crisis, we see that consumers are moving more towards a more local market.

He wants to be reassured, he wants to know what is in the products he buys and how it is done, ”analyzes the manufacturer.

"We need restaurateurs, it's vital for us"

In addition to supermarkets, Neige Azur has set up shop in Nice schools.

“Per month, that can represent 40,000 one-liter jars depending on the orders,” continues Laurent Bernardoni.

For us, this is very interesting because children are the biggest consumers of ice cream.

If they like our products, they will remember the pot when they go shopping.

For parents, it's reassuring to know that the ice cream served in the canteen is made in an artisanal way, with good products and close to home.

The circle is complete !

"

In one year, Neige Azur has doubled its partnerships with supermarkets.

But despite this new expanding market, the family business hopes to find "at least 70% of its professional customers" in the 250 restaurants that worked with them before.

One of the two managers explains: “The company has always worked with restaurateurs, that's part of our identity.

I'm only waiting for one thing, and that's to have a pre-opening date.

We are still very dependent on them.

It is even vital for us ”.

While waiting for a "resumption of normal life", Laurent Bernardoni continues to canvass the large distribution of the Côte d'Azur.

“This is how we cope.

Afterwards, we don't have the ambition to serve all of France.

We want to stay local.

But it would be a great source of pride to continue to develop our offer for individuals and professionals in the Riviera after all the work that has been done by our family since 1956. ”

Nice

Lemon from Menton, Chestnut from Collobrières ... This pastry is a concentrate of the Côte d'Azur

Nice

"We no longer live, we survive", merchants from Nice exasperated by the announcements

  • Tradespeople

  • French Riviera

  • Arts and crafts

  • Coronavirus

  • Covid 19

  • Nice