Swoon, the Bristol-founded artisan gelato brand built on more than a century of Italian-heritage craft, opened its newest bar at 79a Parchment Street, Winchester, on Friday, 20th March 2026. The opening marks the latest step in the brand's expansion beyond its South West heartland and into high-footfall, quality-conscious city-centre locations.

Founded in 2016 by Bruno Forte, whose family introduced handmade gelato to Great Britain over 120 years ago, Swoon is a true family affair. Bruno's wife Ana Maria leads the brand's marketing and social strategy, while co-founder Pat Powell, the creative force behind Swoon's instantly recognisable chic black-and-white aesthetic, oversees every visual element, from packaging to shop design. The brand now operates gelato bars in Bristol, Bath, Oxford and a permanent concession within Selfridges Foodhall on London's Oxford Street. Winchester becomes the sixth location, and the brand has publicly signalled plans for further openings across the south of England.

Swoon is a premium brand with a proven track record, having accumulated more than 100 Great Taste stars, more than any other dessert producer in the UK. It was crowned Supreme Champion at the Great Taste Awards 2019 for its Hazelnut Gelato, the first gelato producer ever to achieve that distinction. Its Bacio Hazelnut & Chocolate gelato was named Vegan Product of the Year at the Great British Food Awards in 2022, reflecting the brand's responsiveness to evolving consumer preferences. That commitment to quality runs through every ingredient; for example, Swoon sources its milk from Somerset farms and its pistachios from the renowned growing region of Bronte in Sicily.

Each bar serves handmade scooped gelato alongside a speciality dessert menu that includes gelato cakes, 'Swoondaes', ricotta-filled cannoli, Sicilian brioche, milkshakes, fruit smoothies, and Italian coffee sourced from Naples. A minimum of four vegan flavours are available at all times. All gelato recipes are developed by Bologna-based gelato expert Stefano Tarquinio, head of the Gelato University, who holds exclusive rights to supply his recipes in Great Britain through Swoon. The Winchester bar will also be available on Deliveroo.

Beyond its branded bars, Swoon has a growing retail and wholesale footprint. Its 500ml tubs are stocked in farm shops across the south west of England, and the brand has established partnerships with hospitality operators including Bosco Pizzerias. A wholesale offer is also available to trade partners looking to bring Swoon's award-winning gelato to their own customers. Production is centralised from the brand's purpose-built kitchen facility in Bristol, providing the scalable infrastructure to support continued growth. Swoon also operates a customer loyalty scheme across its bars, reflecting the brand's focus on building lasting relationships with the communities it serves.

Bruno Forte says: “My Italian family introduced handmade gelato to the UK over a hundred years ago, and Swoon is very much a family business with my wife, mother and sister all involved. That family history and love of gelato drives everything we do, it's why we focus so much on provenance and using only the best and purest ingredients in the flavours we craft.

“Winchester is a city we've had our eye on for a long time. It's a beautiful, historic place with a real appreciation for quality and craftsmanship, the values that sit at the heart of what we do at Swoon.”

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About Swoon

Swoon was founded in Bristol in 2016 by Bruno Forte, whose Italian ancestors introduced handmade gelato to Great Britain over 120 years ago. The brand is built on a foundation of family, craft and provenance: co-founder Pat Powell brings the brand's distinctive aesthetic to life, from shop design to packaging, whilst Ana Forte leads the brand's marketing and digital presence. Swoon's gelato is crafted by dedicated gelato chefs using only the finest, purest ingredients, including Somerset milk and Sicilian pistachios from Bronte, guided by Bologna-based gelato maestro Stefano Tarquinio. With more than 100 Great Taste stars and a 2019 Supreme Champion title, Swoon is the UK's most awarded dessert producer. The brand operates gelato bars in Bristol, Bath, Oxford and Selfridges Foodhall, London, with a growing retail and wholesale presence across the south of England. Winchester is the brand's sixth location as it continues its expansion across the south of England.

Notes to Editors

What makes gelato different? Unlike traditional ice cream, gelato contains around 50% less fat and is served at a slightly higher temperature (around -12°C versus -18°C for ice cream). This makes it melt more readily on the tongue, releasing a significantly more intense flavour. The result is a product that tastes richer and creamier despite being lower in fat, a distinction that lies at the heart of Swoon's product philosophy.