What Carpigiani does

Carpigiani, founded in 1946 by Bruto Carpigiani in Anzano del Parco, Italy, designs and manufactures professional equipment for the production and display of gelato, artisan ice cream, soft serve, and related frozen desserts. The company operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Ali Group S.r.l., the Italian diversified foodservice equipment group, alongside sister brands including Welbilt. The product portfolio centers on batch freezers (Ready G TRU-2, LB G RTX Tru-2, Maestro 2 Star HE), pasteurizers (Pastomaster HE, Labotronic HE-H), soft serve machines (191, 193, UF 920 SP, K3 E), pastry machines (Pastochef 18/55 RTX), and a full range of display cabinets and accessories. Underlying technology is differentiated by patented systems including Hard-O-Tronic consistency control, Exchange Pump Cup micronization, Mix Pump overrun management, automatic heat treatment up to 42-day intervals, TEOREMA remote service telemetry, and a blockchain-enabled pay-per-use capability on the latest machines. The company is recognized in third-party market reports as one of the top five global ice cream processing equipment manufacturers alongside Tetra Pak, GEA Group, SPX FLOW, and Alfa Laval in a market valued at approximately USD 2 billion in 2024.

Carpigiani's commercial model combines direct regional subsidiaries (Carpigiani North America in High Point, NC; Carpigiani Japan in Tokyo; Carpigiani UK) with an authorized dealer network spanning Canada (Cool King Refrigeration), Mexico (EPC México), Poland (Primulator), and Singapore/Malaysia (Allied Foodservice Equipment), plus a request-a-quote web channel and a refurbished/hot-deals storefront. Revenue is generated through three streams: capital equipment sales (batch freezers, pasteurizers, soft serve machines, display cases), professional services including after-sales service contracts and a Soft Serve Consulting offering, and education and training programs delivered through Gelato University (20+ campuses globally), Frozen Dessert University, Gelato Pastry University, and Foodservice Professionals — with two-day courses priced at $500 per participant.

The customer base spans five primary verticals — artisan gelato shops, quick service restaurants, foodservice/restaurants, pastry shops, and frozen yogurt/ice cream makers — supplemented by an entrepreneur and dairy-farmer segment reached via education programs. Demand generation is anchored by the Gelato Festival World Masters competition (60+ festivals, 3,500+ gelato makers since 2010), major trade show presence (Sigep, NRA Show, Fabex, Cafe Asia), media partnerships such as Perfect Sundays TV, and a museum and cultural foundation (Fondazione Bruto e Poerio Carpigiani, Gelato Museum). Pricing is quote-based for equipment with no public list prices; the competitive position rests on heritage, patented technology, education-driven ecosystem lock-in, and global distribution reach rather than price competition.

Name

Carpigiani

Legal name

Carpigiani Group - Ali Group S.r.l.

Website

https://carpigiani.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Carpigiani is an Italian-founded (1946) manufacturer of professional frozen dessert equipment — batch freezers, pasteurizers, soft serve machines, and display cases — serving artisan gelato shops, QSR chains, restaurants, and pastry operators globally through direct subsidiaries, dealers, and a 20+ campus Gelato University education network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Frozen Dessert Equipment

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen prepared meals & entrées manufacturing (AFAKAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refrigerated & Frozen Doughs and Batters Manufacturing (AFAKACAM), Frozen Prepared Foods & Meals Manufacturing (AFAKACAH), Frozen Entrées & Complete Meals (CRADADAA)

Keywords

• Frozen dessert equipment
• Gelato production machinery
• Commercial ice cream machines
• Soft serve equipment
• Batch freezer systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Vitry-sur-seine

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of frozen dessert machines including batch freezers, pasteurizers, soft serve machines, display cases, and accessories. Machines range from counter-top to floor-standing models serving various capacity needs.
2. Education and Training Programs: Revenue from Frozen Dessert University, Gelato University, Gelato Pastry University, and Foodservice Professionals courses. Two-day courses priced at $500 for hands-on training programs.
3. After-Sales Service: Service contracts, maintenance, and support through Carpigiani Services network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Carpigiani designs, manufactures, and sells professional equipment for the production and display of frozen desserts including gelato, ice cream, and soft serve. The product portfolio spans batch freezers, pasteurizers, soft serve machines, pastry machines, modular systems, and display cabinets. The company complements equipment sales with education programs (Gelato University, Frozen Dessert University), consulting services, and after-sales support for foodservice operators worldwide.

Product overview

Carpigiani is a comprehensive frozen dessert equipment company offering a multi-category portfolio centered around gelato, ice cream, and soft serve machines. The core product lines include batch freezers (Ready G TRU-2, LB G RTX Tru-2, LB RTX, LB DGT series), pasteurizers (Pastomaster HE, Labotronic HE-H), soft serve machines (191, 193, UF 920 SP, 161 K SP G, K3 E), and pastry machines (Pastochef 18 RTL, Pastochef 55 RTX). Supporting products include display cabinets and cases (ISA Display Cabinets, Millennium, Supercapri, Diva, OneShow, Marin, Cold Wall series), accessories (Nozzles, Monoportion Kit, Crystal Dispensing Door), and modular systems (Synthesis 2). The portfolio is organized into business segments including Artisan Gelato, Soft Serve, Artisan Ice Cream, Pastry, Foodservice, and Quick Service Restaurant. Complementary to the equipment, Carpigiani offers education programs through Gelato University, Frozen Dessert University, and Gelato Pastry University, as well as consulting services for soft serve operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gelato University: International gelato education institution with 20 campuses worldwide offering courses in gelato making
• Gelato Pastry University
• Foodservice Professionals
• Frozen Dessert University
• Soft Serve Consulting
• Gelato Festival World Masters
• Gelato Museum
• Fondazione Bruto e Poerio Carpigiani

Products and services

• Batch Freezers Professional batch freezers (Ready G TRU-2, LB G RTX Tru-2, Maestro 2 Star HE, Ready 502 G, Ready 802 G, LB RTX, LB DGT, LB 100 B, LB 200 G Tronic, LB 200 IC) for producing gelato, ice cream, pastry, and chocolate with over 40 programs and energy-efficient operation for artisan shops and foodservice operators.
• Pasteurizers and Heat Treatment Equipment Pasteurizers (Pastomaster HE, Labotronic HE-H) with more than 30 programs ideal for producing all types of gelato mixes, yogurt, toppings, specialties, cheese, and milk, featuring patented Exchange Pump Cup technology for superior mixture micronization.
• Soft Serve and Shake Machines

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reduction in total solids processing with Adaptive Technology batch freezers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Perfect Sundays TVcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 March 2026Carpigiani North America partnered with Perfect Sundays TV to promote education and entrepreneurial development for dairy farmers interested in frozen dessert businesses. The collaboration includes launch of Frozen Dessert University with events and educational activities planned across the U.S. beginning in spring 2026.
• Cool King RefrigerationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCool King Refrigeration serves as Carpigiani's distributor in Canada, hosting Gelato Festival World Masters events including the Ontario Challenge on April 16, 2024 and February 20, 2025.
• EPC MéxicocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPC México is the Carpigiani distributor in Mexico, hosting the Mexico City Challenge for Gelato Festival World Masters on March 11, 2025.
• Sigep - Italian Exhibition GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with Sigep - Italian Exhibition Group for Gelato Festival World Masters world championship. Sigep is the world's premier artisan-gelato trade show. Partnership spans multiple years and includes joint sponsorship of global competitions.
• IRCA GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIRCA Group is sponsor of Gelato Festival World Masters events, supporting North American Semifinals and competitions.
• Gelato FestivalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partnership for Gelato Festival World Masters - the premier international competition for artisanal gelato. Carpigiani co-sponsors and provides equipment for all events globally.
• Ali Group S.r.l.flagshipOthersCarpigiani Group is a company of Ali Group S.r.l. (VAT 13239980967), a major Italian industrial group specializing in professional food equipment.
• Niko Romito FormazionecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2017, Carpigiani Gelato University has partnered with Niko Romito Formazione (Michelin three-star chef's culinary school) to offer courses on gelato in restaurants.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Welbilt: Welbilt is the foodservice equipment group that combined with Carpigiani's parent Ali Group. As Carpigiani's corporate sibling, Welbilt provides scale, distribution, and customer relationships across the global foodservice industry, making it both a related party and a partial distribution channel.
• IRCA Group: IRCA Group is a leading manufacturer of chocolate, pastry ingredients, and gelato ingredients, and is a strategic partner and sponsor of Carpigiani's Gelato Festival World Masters. It is an adjacent ecosystem player whose customers overlap with Carpigiani's artisan gelato shop segment.

Direct peers

• Alfa Laval: Alfa Laval is a global supplier of heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling equipment including components used in ice cream and frozen dessert processing lines. A direct competitor in the broader ice cream processing equipment market.
• Tetra Pak: Tetra Pak is a direct competitor in ice cream and frozen dessert processing equipment, listed alongside Carpigiani as one of the top five global manufacturers in the $2B ice cream processing equipment market. It competes in pasteurizers, freezers, and complete processing lines with greater corporate scale.
• GEA Group: GEA Group is a direct competitor supplying ice cream and dairy processing equipment, including freezing, extrusion, and packaging systems. Listed alongside Carpigiani as one of the top five manufacturers in the global ice cream processing equipment market.
• SPX FLOW: SPX FLOW provides ice cream and dairy processing equipment including continuous freezers and ingredient preparation systems. It is a direct competitor to Carpigiani in industrial-scale frozen dessert production equipment.
• Gram Equipment: Gram Equipment is a Danish manufacturer of ice cream, gelato, and confectionery processing equipment including batch freezers and continuous production lines. It competes directly with Carpigiani in artisan and industrial frozen dessert machinery, particularly in Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Electrolux Professional: Electrolux Professional is a large foodservice equipment manufacturer offering a broad portfolio across cooking, refrigeration, and beverage equipment. It overlaps with Carpigiani in commercial refrigeration and complete kitchen solutions for restaurants serving frozen desserts.
• Middleby Corporation: Middleby Corporation is a diversified commercial foodservice equipment conglomerate with brands across cooking, refrigeration, and beverage. It competes with Carpigiani in foodservice equipment broadly and could expand into frozen dessert machinery.

Emerging players

• Bravo (Hoyer): Bravo, part of the Hoyer Group, manufactures soft serve, batch freezers, and pasteurizers for the ice cream and gelato industry. It is a niche competitor with overlapping product categories but smaller global scale than Carpigiani.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carpigiani1946
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Carpigianichannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/Carpigiani1946
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carpigiani-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carpigiani