Classic, antique, artisanal. Italians have a true passion for gelato that is so intense consumers in Italy have pushed for constant improvement, as well as product differentiation to satisfy their every whim through every imaginable flavour and combination. Passion for gelato in Italy is big business valued at some 2 billion euros in internal demand alone.
The roots of this cultural phenomenon are very old. Already in the ninth century Arabs had introduced the sorbetto to Sicily, and it was a Sicilian chef who at the end of the 1600s created a blended gelato very similar to those that we all enjoy today. This product has been a symbol of Made in Italy grandeur for nearly four centuries.
There are three different production chains on the Italian peninsula. Handmade gelato is produced with ingredients like milk, creams, chocolate, eggs, nuts and fruit. Then there is the semi-handcrafted gelato that with the addition of some partially processed elements allows for the creation of a variety of fresh products, even in faraway locations. Finally, there is industrial gelato that is produced in Italy then sent to markets around the world due to the efficiency of cold chain logistics.
