Lewis Hazel is the latest in a long line of Jannettas to serve up delicious gelato in St Andrews.
With an impressive history of more than a century pleasing customers, the Italian family business is looking towards the fifth generation.
But 26-year-old Lewis, now the one holding the reins, doesn’t find this new chapter daunting.
“There’s a lot to do, it’s pretty full-on,” laughs Lewis, “but it comes with an overarching feeling of pride.
“I mean, not too many people get the privilege to say that the building they’re working in has the family name above the door.
“People ask is it daunting to take the business over from my parents, to become the fifth generation, but I see it far more as a privilege.
“It’s a matter of making the most of it and making the other four generations proud in the 116 year anniversary that it is this year.”
Welcome change of pace in Jannettas family business in St Andrews
Lewis has been back working in the St Andrews gelateria for more than a year now.
And each day is a reminder of what generations before him have poured their heart and soul into.
“It’s definitely different from what I did previously,” he says.
“I graduated from university, went to Glasgow and worked in the corporate world in a Monday to Friday job.
“This one is Sunday to Sunday… some people might hate that, but it doesn’t feel like work, or a chore.
“You forget that you sometimes work a 30-day month, it’s just what it is when you’re running a family business.
“It’s great to look back at what the generations have done before, and think about my great great grandad walking through the same shop I do.”
Wherever Lewis looks, there are reminders of the generations that came before him.
Their legacy lives on – right there on the walls.
“Charlie Jannetta, who was my great great grandad, actually etched his initials into the building,” says Lewis.
“So every time you come in through the side door, to the production unit, I see his initials marked there from as far back as the 1930s.
“It’s very special.
“It is a real privilege and I’ve always got the previous generations in the back of my mind when I’m working.”
Jannettas was the ‘fourth child’ growing up
So what was it like growing up with Jannettas?
“From day one, the shop has always been in the background,” says Lewis.
“There are little conversations about it around the dinner table, or over the phone.
“Jannettas is basically like the fourth child. It’s always been a part of the family.”
As children, Lewis, alongside his brother and sister would help out with the gelato shop where they could.
“It was as young as 12, 13, 14, and my parents would come back with some tubs to label for a wholesale order.
“We would just sit in the house and treat it as a little bit of game of who can label it up the quickest.
“I wouldn’t really call it work as such. But if my dad made a new ice cream flavour, he would bring it home and get everyone to try it and give feedback.”
Lewis is well aware of the responsibility of carrying on the well-known business now that his parents, Owen and Nicola Hazel, are taking more of a backseat.
“When I was in first year at university, we’d all be saying where we’re from,” recalls Lewis.
“And I would say I was from St Andrews, and countless times people would say, ‘Oh St Andrews, have you been to that ice cream shop, Jannettas?’
“And I would say, ‘yeah I’ve actually got a pretty good connection to Jannettas’,” he laughs.
“At the start, it was free ice cream. That’s how you see it as a kid.
“Then you grow up a little and see it as hard work and elbow grease.
“Now, I literally have the opportunity to not only try the ice cream, get out the elbow grease, but also now I am really a part of the business operations.”
Extreme importance of local family businesses
Jannettas understandably means a lot to Lewis, and the rest of the Jannettas family.
He understands the responsibility of carrying on the family’s reputation within the community and beyond.
“I think family businesses are extremely important,” he says.
“It’s a very nice thing to connect yourself with.
“People to come in and know families are working their socks off to produce whatever they’re producing.
“It’s very unique in the sense that people who live in the town are the people producing the town in the way.
“And I think it’s something that people are very loyal to and it really makes the town.”
As well as looking to the past and the successes of the previous Jannettas generations, Lewis is hopeful that he will bring a new twist to the family gelateria.
“Myself and my little brother will be the fifth generation. I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do.
“Reaching 10 generations would be pretty damn unique, it would be great to see – not that I will actually be there see it…
“But we will keep our heads down and make sure the fifth generation does the last four proud.”
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