Celebrating 10 Sweet Years of Mami’s Gelato!

From a humble restaurant experiment to a beloved brand - Mami’s Gelato!

It’s hard to believe, but Mami’s Gelato is officially celebrating 10 years in business—a full decade of frozen desserts, flavor experiments, long days, late nights, and beautiful connections. As we reach this milestone, I want to take a moment to reflect on where we started, how far we’ve come, and most importantly, to say thank you.

 It All Started with a Summer Idea

The story began in 2013 when we decided to include an ice cream dessert on the menu of our restaurant in Bloomington, Indiana.  Since I already had knowledge of how to formulate ice cream from scratch without a mix, I began the adventure of learning how to make gelato from scratch. Many folks told us it would not be possible due to health code laws, but we were fortunate to have a Health Department that worked with us and allowed us to move forward.

We launched both dairy and vegan versions of our products, and everything went very well. We noticed that other restaurants were interested in buying our product, so we decided to start selling it in tubs to them. In order to facilitate the growth of our gelato, I developed mixes for our gelato chef to use.

It didn't take long for us to realize that ice cream shops would be interested in our vegan mixes, and in 2015, we launched a separate company, Mami’s Gelato.

✈️ From Trade Shows to Global Ingredient Hunts

For us, one of the biggest leaps in growth for our company was attending trade shows where we could realize that there was interest in our blends. In the first trade show we attended in NY, https://www.specialtyfood.com/fancy-food-shows/summer/ , we managed to capture a lot of interest as well as customers, which made us continue to trust that we would achieve the expected growth.

Attending NAICA conventions was also a great way for us to meet customers and potential partners in the ice cream world https://icecreamassociation.org/page/conecon

As we grew, I knew I wanted to source the best ingredients at the best prices, so my husband and I took off and travelled to various countries in Asia and South America. We visited farmers and local processors, and learned a lot along the way. We were able to pass on savings and quality to you, our customers. 

 Our Milestones (So Far)

• 2015 – Mami’s Gelato is officially born

• 2017 – Our sales take off

• 2020–2022 – We survive the pandemic and grow through it

• 2022 – We expand our production capabilities

These aren’t just dates on a timeline. Each one came with challenges, growth, learning curves, and incredible partnerships that shaped who we are today.

 

❤️ My good memories and my gratitude to you all!

I have many wonderful memories with our team: many special moments working through problems, developing systems, creating recipes, attending trade shows, etc. There are family members, friends, interns, and employees, and everyone has played an important part in helping us survive, grow, and thrive during the past decade.

We also want to thank our loyal customers who have stood by and supported us throughout the years. They have added great value to our products through their suggestions and interesting recipe development. We thank each and every one of you!

The equipment companies that have partnered with us are also very much appreciated. We couldn’t have made it without them.

Looking Ahead

What’s next for Mami’s Gelato? We hope to keep growing while staying true to our mission: creating high-quality, inclusive frozen desserts that serve the evolving needs of our customers.

We look forward to the day when plant-based isn’t a niche but rather a part of what is available to everyone. It’s clear that vegan options are no longer just an alternative—they’re becoming a necessary menu item.

Thank you all for being part of this journey. Here's to 10 more years—and then some.

With love,
Naomi & The Mami’s Gelato Team