European Gelato Sales Near 10 Billion Euros; Gelato Day at Sigep

The countdown to the 11th European Artisanal Gelato Day began at the 44th Sigep, held at the Rimini Exhibition Centre from 21 to 25 January 2023. Alongside it came strong figures showing that handmade gelato is still growing.

Gelato Day

European Artisanal Gelato Day takes place every year on 24 March. It is the only day the European Parliament has ever dedicated to a food. Events, meetings and initiatives across Europe and beyond celebrate gelato and its supply chain.

The figures from Europe

• Artisanal gelato sales in Europe hit a record in 2022, reaching almost €10 billion (€9.83 billion, against €8.7 billion in 2021), a rise of 13%.
• Inflation played a part, but the main drivers were a favourable climate and the return of tourism, with some areas posting growth above 20%.
• Rising energy and raw material costs are squeezing margins, yet the number of gelato parlours has stayed stable.
• Europe has over 65,000 outlets and 300,000 employees. Germany leads with 9,000 parlours, followed by Spain (2,200), Poland (2,000), the United Kingdom (1,100), Austria (900), Greece (680) and France (450).
• Italy, Germany, Spain and Poland lead on consumption, with Austria, France, Belgium and Holland also contributing.

The figures from Italy

• The handmade gelato supply chain generates a turnover of €3.8 billion and employs more than 100,000 people.
• Sales in gelato parlours, pastry shops and gelato bars reached €2.7 billion in 2022, up 16% on 2021 (€2.3 billion), with €1.85 billion in 2020.
• The number of parlours grew by 139, with Lombardy, Sicily and Campania having the most.
• Purchases of agricultural products rose 5%, including 230,000 tonnes of milk, 1,650 tonnes of Bronte pistachios and 1,900 tonnes of Piedmont hazelnuts.
• Italy remains world leader in ingredients and semi-finished products (65 businesses, €1 billion turnover) and in machinery, showcases and equipment (around €700 million, 70% exported).

Gelato Day 2023 at Sigep

Sigep featured Apfelstrudel, Austria’s pick for the 2023 Flavour of the Year (a white base with apple pulp, flavoured with rum and lemon oil). It also honoured the winners of the video contest for the 2022 Flavour of the Year, Dolce Sinfonia, announced at the Mostra Internazionale del Gelato in Longarone the previous November:

• Silvia Chirico, Tenuta Chirico, Ascea (near Salerno)
• Denis Kairet, Anthée, Belgium
• Maria Chiara Sanna, L’arte del gelato, Anzio (near Rome)

Two new partnerships were also to be announced at Sigep: one with Gambero Rosso, involving Italy’s best gelato parlours, and one with Gelato a Primavera, the long-running event of the Italian Gelato Makers’ Association. Gelato parlours across Italy and Europe were invited to register and post their 24 March events at gelato-day.com, which also links to the official Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages.

Gelato Day was created by Longarone Fiere and Artglace, and its 2023 partners included ACOMAG, CNA, Confartigianato, Conpait Gelato, the Italian Gelato Makers’ Association and Federation, Masters of Italian Gelato, and Sigep.

What this means for gelato makers in Australia

Europe’s numbers show that quality gelato keeps finding customers, even when costs rise. Good equipment and a reliable product are your best protection. Start with our guide on how to open a gelato shop, look at Carpigiani gelato machines, or talk to us about finance options.

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