Bringing ice cream to Sochi: How an Italian built a big business in Russia (VIDEO)
Davide Gallina came to Russia for love — and never left. Swapping Vladimir’s −30°C winters for sunny Sochi, he’s building a thriving gelato business supplying restaurants and resorts, and says it’s easier to do business here than in Italy.
The Italian ice cream maker Davide Gallina fell in love with both a Russian woman and the Russian nation at the same time. The feelings were so strong that he decided to stay here forever. For a resident of warm Italy, the Russian frost came as a shock: minus 30 degrees in the Vladimir region turned out to be a serious test of his nerve! But instead of giving up, Davide and his wife decided to move to Sochi, where the sun shines almost all year round and the climate resembles his native Italy.
Today in Sochi, Davide is not just cooking real Italian gelato according to traditional recipes — he is building a full-fledged business in Russia. This Italian is actively establishing contacts with local entrepreneurs, supplying his ice cream to restaurants, supermarkets and resorts. Every day, Davide works on the development of his business, putting his soul into every portion of the creamy delicacy. And, what is especially interesting, he says frankly that doing business in Russia is much easier than in Italy. Less bureaucracy and a gentler tax system have made things way easier.
Davide is enthusiastically learning Russian from scratch, step by step, immersing himself in culture and everyday life. During his time in Russia, he not only learned to appreciate the resilience and perseverance inherent in Russians, but also became an example of how not to give up in difficult times. Davide Gallina is not just an Italian 'gelaterist' in Russia, he is a man who has managed to find his place in a new country by combining two cultures through love, work and, of course, the perfect fresh cool gelato.
