The Italian gelato brand L’Artigiano, first made and sold from a handcart in Assisi, Italy in 1927, landed in the United States in 2016 as a wholesale supermarket supply. In mid-2024, in collaboration with car-manufacturer FIAT, L’Artigiano opened its first retail location, at The Shops at Columbus Circle in Manhattan, serving its acclaimed gelato from a custom-built Vintage 500 FIAT Cinquecento.
Last month, the brand arrived in Westchester County, vrooming into The Westchester in White Plains – its seventh location between New York and New Jersey – with the Cinquecento parked on Retail Level 1 near Nordstrom. An eighth stand will open shortly in Rockland County.
L’Artigiano’s gelato stands out, because it is wholly produced in Italy, amid the foothills of Perugia in Umbria. And it is made using only premium ingredients that are mostly Sicilian, such as almonds from Avola, pistachios from Bronte and chocolate from Modica. The fresh milk used is locally sourced from Umbria as well – renowned as some of the best milk in Italy.
While its genuine Italian origins and production set L’Artigiano apart from other ice cream brands, importing gelato – as L’Artigiano does several times a week – presents its challenges. For instance, each shipment must be equipped with recording thermometers to guarantee the product arrives in the U.S. with perfect preservation and texture.
Speaking with L’Artigiano’s co-owner Francesco Annaloro a few days after The Westchester opening, we wanted to know how L’Artigiano manages all its company-owned locations and how it has also begun franchising both domestically and internationally.
“We identify our top employees and finance the projects by giving them the opportunity to own their own business with minimal investment and strong returns,” Annaloro told Westfair’s Westchester County Business Journal.
With fall fast approaching, we wondered if there will still be much of a market for the product now. Annaloro said in Italy people mainly eat gelato in the summer, but that trends are changing. Here in New York, the company had discovered that (at least) inside shopping malls, customers are enjoying Italian gelato year-round.
L’Artigiano opted for an outlet in The Westchester, he said, because it was “one of the most prestigious in a prime county” and added that “it could well open up further opportunities” for the business.
Choosing new locations involved several key factors, Annaloro said, including logistics and training.
“We prioritize premium malls, especially those that feature high-end retailers and generate significant foot traffic. As this unique concept attracts significant foot traffic, numerous shopping malls are proactively reaching out to us to secure our presence.”
He confirmed that the company planned to have a total of 30 outlets by the end of 2025 across the tristate area, with an ambitious global expansion plan to reach 380 outlets within the next five years – 100 years on and light years away from that humble handcart on the streets of Assisi.
