Artisanal Gelato in Figures: Gelato Day 2020 at Sigep

On 8 January 2020 in Rimini, organisers published new figures for artisanal gelato ahead of Gelato Day at Sigep (18 to 22 January 2020, Rimini Exhibition Centre). In Europe alone, hand-crafted gelato generates sales of 9.5 billion euros, employs 315,000 people and has more than 65,000 points of sale. It is the only food that the European Union has dedicated a day to.

Gelato by the numbers

An estimated 108,000 gelato parlours in 76 countries generated a total turnover of 16 billion euros in 2018, up 6% on 2017. Europe accounts for 60% of sales. Among Europe’s top performers, Spain and Poland recorded the highest growth (+4% and +6%), with Poland the most dynamic market.

• Italy: still the world leader, with 39,000 gelato points (10,000 specialist shops plus 29,000 bars and pastry shops), about 150,000 staff and 2.8 billion euros turnover, around 30% of the European market.
• Germany: 9,000 outlets, including 3,300 gelato-only parlours, around 4,500 of them Italian-owned and employing 20,000 people. The season now lasts 9 to 10 months rather than March to October.
• Others: Spain 2,200, Poland 2,000, the UK 1,100, Austria 900, Greece 680 and France 450.

Outside Europe there are about 43,000 gelato parlours, in markets including Argentina, the United States and Brazil, and growing Far Eastern markets such as China, Korea, Malaysia and Australia, where the large Italian community spread hand-crafted gelato across the country.

Italy’s supply chain

Italy’s success rests on tradition and innovation, creativity and technical skill, and quality ingredients with state-of-the-art equipment. It leads the world in gelato ingredients and semi-finished products, with 65 companies turning over 1.8 billion euros (800 million of it from semi-finished products). It also leads in gelato machinery and display cabinets: 13 machinery companies control almost 90% of the world market with a turnover of 229 million euros, and 11 cabinet makers turn over 252 million euros.

Gelato Day at Sigep

The eighth Gelato Day took place near the heart of Sigep, in the South Hall, on the stand run by Artglace, the association that with Longarone Fiere devised European Artisanal Gelato Day (24 March). Gelato makers could collect a “Gelato Day kit” with 250 tubs, spoons, napkins, napkin holders and a display case sticker, and visitors tasted the 2020 flavour of the year chosen by the Netherlands, yoghurt gelato with a strawberry ripple. Presentations ran at 11 am on 19, 20 and 21 January in the Yellow Room (Sala Gialla), with more at gelato-day.it.

What this means for gelato makers in Australia

Australia appears in the global figures as a growing market, and gelato demand here continues to build. If you are weighing up a gelato business, our gelato shop guide is a good first step. Majors Group supplies Carpigiani machines, ISA gelato cabinets and Rubicone ingredients, so you can source the full setup in one place.

Source: Carpigiani news. Rewritten for Australia by Majors Group.