Beloved global gelato brand Gelatissimo is offering American entrepreneurs a scoop of their multi-million-dollar franchise model as they roll out their US expansion plan.
Their Hawaii store opens next month at the Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki, which joins the company’s existing Houston location, amid national interest from prospective franchisees in other markets.
Gelatissimo brings a proven track record of success to the US frozen dessert market, with 65+ stores globally, a multi-million-dollar annual revenue, and a booming franchisee program – making it one of the hottest franchises to watch in 2023.
A global footprint with the soul of a local business, Gelatissimo is famous in the southern hemisphere for its photo worthy decadent flavors, real ingredients, and small batches made fresh in-store.
As the brand celebrates its 20th anniversary of flavor obsession to loyal customers around the world, Gelatissimo CEO Braeden Lord said the US expansion plan was a fitting next chapter.
“Gelatissimo will become a local go-to, where American families can come together and celebrate life’s special moments, big and small—just like our loyal international customers. With Gelatissimo’s indulgent flavors, we aim to evoke a sense of child-like wonder and shake up a somewhat tired frozen-dessert landscape,” Lord said.
“Global expansion is at the heart of our strategic plan. After 20 years of successful growth we feel the time is now right to really ramp up our international presence and cement our brand on a world stage.”
These grand expansion plans have also required a strong recruitment drive for new franchisees currently underway. The first were Houston’s Simon Stankevicius and Phanary Hok, who add America’s first Gelatissimo store to their impressive portfolio of dessert offerings, including a donut concept.
“We jumped at the opportunity to become Gelatissimo master franchisees because of the track record of success and the undeniable points of difference. America has been settling for basic ice-cream, and we felt there was a gap in the frozen dessert market.” Stankevicius says.
Famous for their collaborative gelato flavors with popular food and beverage brands like Hershey’s, Reese’s, and Lindt, Gelatissimo celebrates their Hawaii location by joining forces with local artisans on Hawaii-inspired flavors like Dragonfruit & Lychee, Pina Colada and Guava.
Their dedication to flavors has seen them become the most loved & awarded gelato brand in Australia with over 100 awards in national and state based dairy industry shows. They have also recently won 1st place at the World Dairy Expo – Championship USA for their Salted Macadamia and Dulce De Leche Gelato.
Lord concludes, “We have spent the last two decades enjoying sustainable growth and ever-increasing brand awareness. We are now looking to the future with excitement as we undertake this new chapter, focused on continued brand growth around the world.”
