Rossi Ice Cream owner takes over Cookies and Cones

James Sinclair, the owner of Rossi ice cream, has confirmed he has “brought the brand and the business” of Cookies and Cones.

Cookies and Cones has four branches across Essex, including Southend and Leigh.

This takeover comes months after the business went into administration in June, according to Companies House.

This week the firm’s Wickford store has closed just months after their Basildon parlour in the Eastgate Shopping Centre and the Rayleigh business, in Berry’s Arcade in the High Street, closed.

But Mr Sinclair expressed his excitement at taking over the business which will have Rossi ice cream incorporated into it.

He said: “We have brought the brand and the business and integrated into Rossi.

“We are really excited to take it to the next level.

“We have moved the Cookies and Cones factory into the Rossi factory already, so it is really exciting.

“We are a big ice cream company, and we own parlours, but we wanted to have more stores that are selling our products directly rather than just through supermarkets.

“We also wanted a brilliant bakery range that Cookies and Cones have to work alongside this.

“It is now onwards and upwards.”

Mr Sinclair is the founder and CEO of the Partyman Group of Companies, including Partyman World, Marsh Farm, and Rossi Ice Cream to name a few.

Mr Sinclair said it was sad the Wickford has closed but the business was moving in a different direction.

He added: “We didn’t want to carry on with all the smaller stores.

“And as we couldn’t reach a new deal with the landlord at the Wickford site, we have gone our separate ways.”

According to Companies House, Cookies and Cones appointed an administrator in June 2023.

The administrator proposal statement stated: “The trading premises were furnished and equipped initially with assets owned by Matthew Davis personally, then later acquired in the company name.

“Whist trade had been successful and with the opening of new stores profitability was in line with expectation. Covid 19 severely impacted cash flow thereafter.”

The former director and founder of Cookies and Cones is now working in a new role within the business, following the takeover.