Following its Shanghai stop in June 2026, Discover Gelato continues its international journey with two major stages in Chile and Canada, bringing to the American markets not only Italian artisanal gelato, but the entire system behind its success: ingredients, technology, equipment, professional expertise, education, communication and business development.
The international tour is promoted by Unione Italiana Food – Gruppo Prodotti per Gelato and ACOMAG, with financial and organizational support from ICE – Italian Trade Agency, and in collaboration with the Gelato World Cup. Following Chile and Canada, Discover Gelato will continue in Romania in October and India in November 2026.
Discover Gelato: promoting Italian artisanal gelato worldwide
Discover Gelato was created to showcase the value of Made in Italy and create new international business opportunities by presenting Italian artisanal gelato as a complete and scalable business model.
The success of Italian gelato is not based on a single product. It is the result of an integrated supply chain that combines tradition, innovation, ingredients, machinery, equipment, technical expertise, training and entrepreneurship.
This is the distinctive value that Discover Gelato brings to international markets: a complete ecosystem capable of supporting entrepreneurs who want to open a gelato shop, add artisanal gelato to a restaurant, hotel or café, develop a gelato corner or expand their dessert offering.
Chile and Canada: two markets with strong potential for Italian gelato
The Chilean stage takes place in Santiago from September 28 to October 2, 2026, in a market that represents one of the most significant opportunities within the Discover Gelato international tour.
Chile is currently the largest gelato-consuming market in Latin America, with per-capita consumption exceeding 8.5 litres per year. The total Chilean gelato market reached approximately US$180 million in 2025, with annual growth expected to exceed 5% through 2035.
According to the 2026 CADEM study, 61% of Chilean consumers say they prefer artisanal gelato over other types of frozen desserts. Gelato is also consumed throughout the year: 83% of consumers report eating it during winter, highlighting the strong level of market maturity and the product's increasing seasonal independence.
Consumer demand is also evolving towards quality, natural ingredients, healthier options, lactose-free products and plant-based alternatives, as well as experiences that combine flavour, aesthetics and storytelling. These trends create interesting opportunities for Italian artisanal gelato and the companies supplying its ingredients, equipment and know-how.
Italian artisanal gelato in Canada
Canada represents the first North American destination of the Discover Gelato tour.
The Canadian artisanal gelato segment was worth approximately US$130 million in 2025 and accounted for around 8% of the overall Canadian market, with the segment expected to grow by approximately 5.9% annually in the coming years. Overall annual per-capita consumption of gelato and industrial ice cream is estimated at around 10.6 litres, placing Canada among the world's high-consumption markets.
Within this context, Montréal and Toronto are important centres for artisanal gelato.
Montréal combines a strong gastronomic tradition with French cultural influences and a consumer base attentive to ingredient provenance and premium products. Toronto, meanwhile, is a highly diverse food market where Italian culinary traditions interact with contemporary interpretations, new formats and changing consumer preferences.
From artisanal gelato to business opportunities
One of the central messages of Discover Gelato is that Italian artisanal gelato represents not only a food product but also a business opportunity.
For professional operators, gelato can become a new revenue stream in different formats: opening a dedicated gelato shop, introducing gelato into a restaurant, hotel, café or pastry shop, developing a dedicated corner or expanding an existing dessert menu.
Italy has developed one of the world's most structured and internationally oriented gelato supply chains.
In 2025, the Italian sector for gelato machinery, display cases and equipment reached approximately €697 million, with exports accounting for around 70% of turnover. The Italian market for gelato ingredients and semi-finished products reached approximately €1.188 billion, with 67% of turnover generated by exports.
Overall, the Italian artisanal gelato supply chain is estimated at approximately €4.9 billion, encompassing a broad ecosystem of companies involved in ingredients, machinery, equipment, technology, education and professional services.
Discover Gelato aims to turn this industrial and professional expertise into new international relationships by connecting Italian companies with distributors, importers, HORECA operators, training institutions, professionals, media and influencers in the target markets.
Masterclasses, showcooking and business networking
The Discover Gelato format combines professional training, practical demonstrations, business networking and communication activities.
The programme is designed for different audiences, including gelato professionals, HORECA operators, students, future entrepreneurs, media and influencers.
Discover Gelato in Chile
In Santiago, the programme includes a professional masterclass and showcooking as part of Espacio Food & Service, one of Chile's major food and HORECA events.
The programme also includes an event for journalists and influencers at the Embassy of Italy, as well as educational activities at INACAP and DUOC UC, two important professional and gastronomic education institutions in Chile.
Students, professionals, influencers and media representatives will have the opportunity to discover Italian artisanal gelato from different perspectives, from production techniques and ingredients to business development and the Italian gelato supply chain.
Discover Gelato in Canada: Montréal, Waterloo and Toronto
The Canadian stage runs from September 26 to October 3, 2026, with activities in three cities and at three leading educational institutions.
Montréal: professional gelato training
On September 28, Discover Gelato will be hosted by EMRTM – École des métiers de la restauration et du tourisme de Montréal, with two masterclasses dedicated to students and approximately 50 participants. On September 29, the programme turns to professionals with a trade masterclass, professional showcooking and networking lunch, providing an opportunity for direct exchange between the Italian gelato sector and Canadian operators.
Waterloo: connecting Canadian education and Italian gelato expertise
On October 1, Discover Gelato will arrive at Conestoga College in Waterloo. A masterclass for students, with up to 100 participants, will be followed by a networking lunch with the Faculty. The event creates a direct connection between Canadian gastronomic education and the technical and professional expertise of the Italian gelato school.
Toronto: gelato, education and the HORECA sector
The Canadian programme concludes on October 2 in Toronto at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). The programme includes a professional masterclass for trade operators, a networking lunch and a student masterclass followed by a final showcooking session. Additional activities will be dedicated to media and influencers, helping to communicate the culture and distinctive characteristics of Italian artisanal gelato to a wider Canadian audience.
The Italian gelato masters behind Discover Gelato
Discover Gelato brings internationally recognized representatives of the Italian gelato school to Chile and Canada.
In Chile, the project is represented by Sergio Colalucci, 2006 Gelato World Champion and President of the Gelato World Cup, and Cristiano Ferrero, Board Member of Unione Italiana Food – Gruppo Prodotti per Gelato.
In Canada, the protagonists are Sergio Dondoli, multi-award-winning gelato master from San Gimignano, Vice President of the Gelato World Cup, recognized Maestro d'Arte e Mestiere and featured in the documentary film Happy Life, together with Fabio Chiarabini, Board Member of Unione Italiana Food – Gruppo Prodotti per Gelato.
Their complementary profiles allow Discover Gelato to present Italian gelato from two interconnected perspectives: the creativity, technical expertise and experience of the gelato master, and the industrial and international perspective of a supply chain capable of supporting the development of artisanal gelato around the world.
The Italian gelato supply chain: exporting a complete business model
“With Discover Gelato, we want international markets to understand that there is much more behind a cup of gelato than a single product,” explain the project's promoters. “There is a supply chain made up of companies, technology, ingredients, expertise and education. This is the system that has been developed in Italy and recognized around the world, and it is this system that we want to present to international markets.”
The project therefore promotes Made in Italy as a business platform, showing how gelato can become a diversification and growth opportunity for the HORECA sector, while also creating opportunities to export Italian machinery, ingredients, technology, professional expertise and training.
From Chile to Canada, Discover Gelato is bringing a clear message to international markets: Italian artisanal gelato is not only a gastronomic speciality, but also a dynamic economic sector and an internationally successful supply chain capable of generating new business opportunities.
Discover Gelato: the international journey continues
After Shanghai in June 2026, Chile and Canada represent two important stages in the international development of Discover Gelato. The project will continue with further international activities in Romania in October and India in November 2026.
By combining Italian artisanal gelato culture, professional education, technology, ingredients, equipment and business networking, Discover Gelato aims to strengthen international awareness of the Italian gelato model and create new connections between the Italian supply chain and international markets.