Opening a gelato shop today is a real opportunity for those who want to start a tasty, exciting business deeply rooted in Italian culture—just like pizza and pasta.
This guide is also useful for those who already own a business and want to expand their offering with a much-loved product for all ages.
The manual was created to provide those interested in pursuing a career in traditional Italian artisanal gelato with the basic guidelines needed to start navigating this rich and dynamic world. It also includes contacts for the top Italian ingredient suppliers and the best professional training schools in the industry.
Starting a business—even a small gelato shop—is a complex and delicate process. It’s essential to rely on experienced professionals (accountants, notaries, trade associations, etc.) to avoid costly mistakes or unpleasant surprises.
In this first part, we begin with the key legal and bureaucratic steps.
Registering with the Business Register
The first step in opening a gelato shop in Italy is to register your business with the Business Register at the local Chamber of Commerce. This register contains information about all businesses in Italy—from their foundation to closure—including any legal or administrative changes.
It is linked to the Economic and Administrative Index (REA), which contains the company’s economic details.
Today, registration is mostly handled online. Sole proprietorships can still submit paper forms (Form I1), while companies are required to file electronically.
Infocamere, the tech company of the Chambers of Commerce, provides Fedra, a free software tool for completing and submitting the required documents online.
Since 2008, entrepreneurs can also use the Single Business Communication (Comunicazione Unica) system. This streamlines the process by allowing you to submit one form to the Chamber of Commerce, which will then notify the relevant authorities, including the Social Security Institute (INPS), Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), and the Tax Office. The ComUnica software can be used for this and is also free.
Finally, each year all businesses must pay an annual registration fee to the Chamber of Commerce. Don’t worry about missing the deadline—your Chamber will send you a reminder well in advance.
Continue reading in Part II of the article…