May 14, 2014: Gelato
As summer approaches, a familiar refrain keeps repeating in my head, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for…” gelato. Yes, gelato. Italian ice cream is, according to Advertising Age, “poised for a breakthrough” here in America. In fact the magazine calls gelato “one of the hottest crazes in frozen desserts.”
Ad Age points out how the big ice cream brands like Haagen-Dazs and Breyers are jumping on the trend, spending millions marketing the denser (less air), but less fatty (more milk, less cream) treat. They’re chasing Talenti, a company founded by a Texas entrepreneur. Talenti, which packages its gelato in see-through containers, expects to top $160 million in sales this year.
There’s still plenty of room for entrepreneurs to jump on the gelato bandwagon. Beth Bloom, a food and drinks analyst for Mintel, told Ad Age gelato still has “a relatively low consumer penetration rate of 15% and is mostly popular with upper-income consumers, as well as younger buyers.” The “artisan treat feel” of gelato makes it even more promising and appealing.
Whether you want to serve it in your restaurants, or sell it (there are several franchises focused on gelato including The Frost Gelateria and Papalani Gelato) now’s the time to explore this international tasty treat.
Photo courtesy: Talenti