Beloved global gelato brand Gelatissimo is offering American entrepreneurs a scoop of their multi-million-dollar master franchise model as they roll out an aggressive US expansion plan.
Starting in this month with the first American storefront in foodie-mecca Houston (and more US locations to follow, starting with Hawaii in Spring 2022, Gelatissimo brings a proven track record of success to the US market, with 65+ stores across 7 countries, a multi-million-dollar annual revenue, and a booming franchise program.
A big footprint with the soul of a local business, Gelatissimo is famous around the world for its photo-worthy, decadent flavors, real, wholesome ingredients and small batches made fresh in-store.
As the brand celebrates 20 years of serving scoops of pure happiness to loyal customers from Sydney to Singapore, Gelatissimo CEO Filipe Barbosa said the US expansion plan was a fitting next chapter.
“Global expansion is at the heart of our strategic plan for this next year. We will celebrate 20 years of successful growth in 2022 and so we feel the time is right to really ramp up our international presence and cement our brand on a world stage, starting with Houston,” he says.
These grand expansion plans require a strong recruitment drive for new franchisees, currently underway. The first is respected Houston entrepreneurs Phanary Hok and Simon Stankevicius, who add America’s first Gelatissimo store to an impressive portfolio of food and fitness businesses, including Shipley’s Donuts, YogaSix, and CycleBar.
Frequent travels to Europe sparked the business-savvy couple’s love affair with gelato, but they couldn’t find anything comparable in their hometown Houston or even the US at large.
“Houston is a city of foodies, so it seemed crazy to me that we were missing authentic gelato – it’s mainly ice cream here.”
While hunting for franchising opportunities online, the couple discovered Gelatissimo and were quickly compelled to join the business after sampling the gelato.
“I fell in love with the texture, flavor, and the way it looked. You could taste the real ingredients; the strawberry really tasted like strawberry. We know America will fall in love with the gelato just like we did,” says Hok.
Stankevicius adds: “Knowing how Gelatissimo has such a proven record of almost 20 years of success in other markets puts my mind at ease; its successful for a reason. The product is truly great,” he says.
Famous for their collaborative gelato flavors with popular food and beverage brands like Hershey’s, Reese’s, and Lindt, Gelatissimo celebrates their US entry via Houston by joining forces with local Texan company Yellow Rose Distilling on a bourbon-infused gelato.
Barbosa concludes; “With Phanary and Simon at the helm of the flagship in Houston, we are working with passionate master franchisee partners who really share our values.
“We have spent the last two decades enjoying sustainable growth and ever-increasing brand awareness and we are now looking to the future with excitement as we undertake this new chapter, focused on continued brand growth around the world.”
Gelatissimo is bringing authentic, artisanal, fresh-made gelato to the US, filling a gap in the frozen dessert market. Decadent, but lower in fat than ice cream, with no artificial colors and flavors and plenty of vegan and sugar-reduced options, Gelatissimo is a better way to indulge.