Gay Odin SRL represents more than just a chocolate shop; it embodies a rich history of artisanal craftsmanship, family tradition, and Neapolitan excellence. From its humble beginnings in the late 19th century to its current status as a beloved brand with locations across Italy, Gay Odin's story is a testament to the enduring appeal of quality, innovation, and a passion for chocolate.
The Sweet Origins: Isidoro Odin's Neapolitan Dream
The story begins with Isidoro Odin, a young and ambitious chocolatier from Val Pellice, Piedmont. Leaving his home in 1888 with little more than dreams and skills, he ventured to Naples, a vibrant cultural capital, seeking his fortune. Drawn to the city's energy and charm, Isidoro soon realized his vision: a chocolate shop in the heart of Chiaia.
Isidoro was driven by a desire to create unique flavor combinations that would captivate the Neapolitan people. He meticulously perfected his techniques, slow-roasting cacao over wood at low temperatures to preserve its delicate aromas and organoleptic properties. Quality, research, and creativity became the cornerstones of his enterprise.
From Odin to Gay Odin: A Love Story in Chocolate
A pivotal moment in the company's history arrived with the romantic encounter between Isidoro Odin and Onorina Gay, a descendant of a renowned family of Maître Chocolatiers. This union not only brought love but also a new name to the business. The brand "Gay Odin" was born, solidifying the legacy of artisanal chocolate making.
The marriage to Onorina Gay provided further impetus for the company's growth. More stores opened in the city, but the couple maintained the same artisanal way of making chocolate. Which still resists today.
Leggi anche: Tradizione e amore: Gay-Odin
The Iconic Creations: Tronchetto and Beyond
Isidoro's creativity knew no bounds. One of his most iconic creations was the tronchetto (small log) of milk chocolate. This innovative treat, made with thin sheets of cacao paste folded by hand into a log shape, became a signature product and a beloved favorite. The tronchetto became so popular that Isidoro secured an exclusive patent for it.
Over time, this became the most beloved specialty of Gay Odin: perfect for the balance of taste and lightness.
In addition to the tronchetto, Gay Odin's offerings expanded to include a variety of exquisite chocolates, each crafted with the finest ingredients and Isidoro's secret recipes. Noci (nuts), Ghiande (acorns), Gianduiotti, Imperiali, Amori, Chicchi di caffè (coffee beans), and Africanelle were just a few of the delicacies that emerged from his workshop.
The Liberty Factory: A Temple of Chocolate
As demand grew, Isidoro needed a larger space to accommodate his expanding business. In 1922, he inaugurated a new factory on Via Vetriera. The factory was designed by Angelo Trevisan, a Venetian architect and a pioneer of the Liberty style in Naples. Trevisan created a true architectural gem, a testament to the artistry and craftsmanship that defined Gay Odin.
The inauguration of the factory of via Vetriera came from the inspiration of Angelo Trevisan, a Venetian architect among the first representatives of Liberty ceramics in Italy, and designer of the famous Villa Maria.
Leggi anche: Scopri il menu di La Fabbrica della Pizza a Legnano
Passing the Torch: The Maglietta Era
Isidoro Odin guided the company until his death in the 1970s. In the 1960s, the property passed smoothly into the hands of Giulio Castaldi because Isidoro, who had no heirs, remained in charge until his death. The secrets of chocolate were passed on to Giulio Castaldi's nephew, Giuseppe Maglietta.
In the 1980s, Giuseppe Maglietta officially took the reins, inheriting a legacy of excellence and a deep understanding of artisanal chocolate making. Having worked alongside Isidoro for years, Giuseppe was well-versed in the secrets of production.
With Giuseppe Maglietta, Gay Odin became one of the most beloved Neapolitan brands in the world.
Expanding Horizons: From Naples to Rome and Milan
Giuseppe Maglietta expanded Gay Odin's reach beyond Naples. After opening several stores in Naples, he decided to introduce the flavors of Neapolitan chocolate to Rome. With enthusiasm, Giuseppe Maglietta inaugurated a store in the Parioli neighborhood.
The fame of Gay Odin arrived in the capital of fashion and design: the Milanese boutique was inaugurated, in the center a stone's throw from the Duomo. An elegant chocolate room that today, after being redesigned, is a contemporary concept space where you can have breakfast, enjoy a coffee break or enjoy Gay Odin chocolate while shopping.
Leggi anche: Guida completa lavoro pasta
Innovation and Tradition: A Balancing Act
Giuseppe Maglietta embraced innovation while staying true to Gay Odin's artisanal roots. He introduced new chocolate creations, such as the "Vesuvio" chocolates designed by architect Fabrizio Mangoni. The food designer described this creation as "bitter on the outside like the peoples who inhabit its slopes, like the bitter realism of irony, which contains a seductive, inebriating passion, magma hardened with rhum…".
The famous chocolate trunk is also proposed in a dark version thanks to an idea by Giuseppe Maglietta: intuiting that with less sugar, a more compact consistency and a drier flavor than classic milk, 80% cocoa sweetened with a drop of honey, would have been a success.
In 2003, Gay Odin launched its first line of frozen desserts, offering chocolate-infused gelato in flavors like Foresta, Cremino, and Ghianda, as well as chocolate variations with cinnamon, ginger, chili, coffee, and rum.
In 2008, the brand was launched in Milan with the opening of a store where customers could enjoy the many varieties of chocolate. It is on this occasion that the Ciocco-cuoppo is presented, the first street food signed by Gay-Odin: a paper cone of naked chocolates or nuts and acorns designed to be enjoyed while walking.
The Enduring Legacy: Family, Passion, and Quality
Today, Gay Odin remains a family-run business, committed to the traditions and values that have defined it for over a century. The factory in the Liberty-style building on Via Vetriera, now a national monument, continues to produce exquisite chocolates using time-honored techniques.
The testimony of Massimo Schisa, member of the Board of Directors of the well-known Neapolitan chocolate factory. The 'sweet' story of a family business, which has its roots in craftsmanship and the link with the territory, and which in the last century has been able to innovate, without losing sight of tradition, confirming itself 'on everyone's lips' in Naples, in Italy and also outside national borders.
The current factory behind Via dei Mille instead dates back to 1922, "the first example of Liberty architecture where, at that time, the workers all lived together".
Schisa speaks always in the plural. All the processes described so far, he specifies, "are the result of shared decisions that involve the entire family governance and this aspect, sometimes, can prove to be a double-edged sword if the various members of the team have conflicting positions with respect to a decision to be taken or to a strategy to be adopted. Now the new generations are also approaching the company and show interest in new projects. We cannot stop growing and expanding our horizons".
This last statement is a reference to the hypothesis ventilated, and it seems that it is also rather caressed, of an expansion in foreign markets: "So far internationalization has touched us in an inorganic way. Naples has a very strong tourist vocation and social media have helped to make our product known. At the moment we are testing marketing actions with advertising abroad, obtaining good conversions in terms of purchases via the website, especially from some countries such as Germany. But it must be said that the logistics costs are quite high and the ROI (return on investment) does not show the gains that would be desirable". The reflection on internationalization therefore "is in progress. Moreover, we start from a particular product, currently not scalable and for which the manual contribution is about 80%. To implement the company and reach the new goal we will have to rethink ourselves at 360 degrees and establish who we want to be in the future without distorting our present identity".
Gay Odin's success is a testament to the power of passion, quality ingredients, and a commitment to preserving tradition while embracing innovation. From its humble beginnings as a small chocolate shop in Naples to its current status as a renowned brand with a global following, Gay Odin continues to delight chocolate lovers with its exquisite creations and its enduring story of family, love, and the sweet taste of success.
Practical Information for Chocolate Lovers
- Gluten and Lactose: Gay Odin's chocolate does not contain gluten as an ingredient. However, wheat flour is used in the factory for other products. Similarly, dark chocolate does not contain milk or lactose, but milk and derivatives are used for other products, so cross-contamination cannot be excluded.
- Sugar-Free Options: Gay Odin offers a 99% cocoa dark chocolate without sugar.
- Shipping: They ship throughout the European Union.
- Factory Visit: There is a small museum with vintage machinery at the factory.
- Chocolate Bloom: A white patina on the chocolate is cocoa butter that surfaces due to temperature changes.