Gelatys, which positions itself as the only U.S.-based manufacturer of frozen gelato novelties and the category's top-selling brand domestically, has commissioned an $8 million production facility in Fort Myers, Fla., adding meaningful domestic capacity as the Miami-headquartered company pursues a national grocery footprint.
The new plant spans more than 30,000 square feet and is fully operational as of late May 2026. The capital outlay represents a significant fixed-asset commitment for a specialty frozen-dessert supplier whose addressable market spans both retail grocery and the broader foodservice channel — including lodging, contract dining, and amusement operators that have historically imported gelato novelties from European co-manufacturers.
For foodservice buyers, the domestic production angle carries practical weight. Importation timelines, cold-chain complexity, and the residual freight-cost volatility that followed pandemic-era supply disruptions have made European-sourced frozen novelties a procurement headache for multi-unit operators. A Florida-based production hub shortens lead times for distributors serving the Southeast and positions Gelatys to negotiate longer-term supply agreements with regional and national broadline partners. The frozen-dessert segment has seen renewed operator interest as limited-time-offer dessert platforms — particularly in fast-casual and polished-casual dayparts — compete for check-building attachment rates.
Gelatys has not disclosed specific AUV or distribution-door targets tied to the facility opening, nor has the company released projected run-rate production volumes. What the investment does signal is a transition from a niche import-reliant SKU to a scalable CPG infrastructure play — a model that suppliers such as artisan frozen-dessert entrants have pursued as grocery and foodservice channels converge around premium indulgence items. The broader frozen-novelties category has outpaced traditional ice cream in velocity metrics at several national grocery chains over the past two years, according to syndicated scanner data.
With domestic manufacturing now online, the company's next operational test will be distribution network density — securing broadline and specialty-distributor partnerships capable of maintaining the cold-chain integrity that gelato's lower-fat, higher-milk-solids formulation demands at retail and operator accounts alike.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
