Antonelli

What Antonelli does

Antonelli (Antonelli Bros Ltd) is a UK-based, family-owned B2B manufacturer and distributor serving the professional ice cream and gelato trade. Founded in 1912 and headquartered in Manchester, the company operates two sites in the Manchester area: a main headquarters and warehouse at Soapstone Way, Irlam, and a cone and wafer bakery on Weymouth Road, Eccles. The firm employs 51-100 staff and is led by Chairman Roland Antonelli (from the founder's family) and Joint Managing Director Mark Antonelli, with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or private equity ownership.

The business operates a vertically layered model: it manufactures its own ice cream cones, wafer products, and the Gelpro range of gelato ingredients (launched 2020, produced in Italy), and it is the exclusive UK distributor for two premium Italian ingredient brands — Comprital (part of the Italcanditi Group) and Martini Gelato (part of the Unigrà group). Its catalog spans 464 SKUs across cones, ice cream and gelato bases, flavour pastes, ripples and variegati, toppings, sprinkles, packaging, utensils, and decorations, complemented by services including cone personalisation, compostable packaging migration, and the Antonelli Gelato Academy which delivers industry training.

Commercial mechanics are B2B trade sales-led: customers are ice cream parlours, gelato artisans, bakeries, dessert operators, and ice cream manufacturers in the UK, served through a trade e-commerce website, direct account management (e.g., a Sales Manager), credit accounts, and content/training channels. Pricing is per-unit wholesale with trade and ex-VAT pricing visible on product pages; unit price points range from low-cost items like straws (~£3.79) to specialty inputs such as pistachio paste (~£200–£234.60). Geographic footprint is UK-only with no disclosed international expansion.

Name

Antonelli

Legal name

Antonelli Bros Ltd

Website

https://antonelli.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Antonelli is a UK-based family-owned B2B manufacturer and distributor, founded 1912 and headquartered in Manchester, supplying professional ice cream and gelato parlours, bakeries, and manufacturers with cones, ingredients, packaging, utensils, and training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ice Cream and Gelato Supplies

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pastry, Cakes & Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAFAB), Pastry, Cakes & Tortes Manufacturing (AFAKAAAB)

Keywords

• Ice cream cones
• Gelato ingredients
• Ice cream bases
• Frozen dessert supplies
• Bakery ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B Ingredient and Supply Sales: Wholesale supply of ice cream and gelato ingredients, cones, packaging, and equipment to ice cream parlours, gelato artisans, bakeries, and foodservice businesses. Products include bases, flavour pastes, toppings, utensils, and packaging. Revenue generated through per-unit product sales with volume pricing available for credit account holders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Antonelli manufactures and supplies ice cream cones, wafers, gelato bases, flavour pastes, ripples, variegati, toppings, packaging, and utensils to UK ice cream parlours, gelato artisans, bakeries, and foodservice businesses. The company is also the exclusive UK distributor for Italian gelato ingredient brands Comprital and Martini Gelato (Unigrà), and operates the Gelato Academy for ice cream and gelato training.

Product overview

Antonelli is a UK-based supplier of ice cream and gelato products serving professional businesses. The company operates as both a manufacturer of its own branded products (Antonelli cones, Gelpro ingredients) and a distributor of premium Italian brands (Martini Gelato, Comprital). The product portfolio is organised around three pillars: core ingredients for gelato production (bases, improvers, flavour pastes, ripples, variegati, inclusions), serving and display products (cones, wafers, topping sauces, sprinkles, utensils), and business support services (packaging, training, personalisation, compostable options). The company also supplies equipment like portioner scoops, serving spatulas, and cone stands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gelpro: In-house brand launched in 2020 for ice cream bases and improvers, developed by Antonelli to service the UK market with comparable products to higher-cost options. Manufactured in Italy by specialist companies.
• Antonelli Gelato Academy

Products and services

• Ice Cream Cones Ice cream cones including waffle cones, Smoothy cones, sugar cones, wafer cones, and flat bases, available in dipped and decorated variants for ice cream parlours, gelato artisans, and foodservice businesses.
• Ice Cream Bases & Improvers Gelato and ice cream bases including Milk Base, Water Base, Plant Base, Specialist Base, and Improvers for professional gelato making by parlour operators and ice cream manufacturers.
• Flavour Pastes Flavour pastes for gelato including Classic Paste, Fruit Paste, Nut Paste, and Powder Concentrate for creating various ice cream flavours in professional gelato and ice cream production.
• Ripples, Variegati & Coverings Ripple sauces and variegati including Ripple Creamy, Ripple Fruit, Ripple Syrup, Variegati Classic, Crunchy, Fruit Pieces, Whole Fruit, Choc Covering, and Choc Stracciatella for finishing and rippling gelato and ice cream products.
• Topping Sauces Topping sauces including Amarena Cherry, Strawberry, Caramel, Chocolate, Banana, Toffee, Wild Berry, Kiwi, Raspberry, Mint, Blueberry, Hazelnut, and Lotus Biscoff flavours, supplied in bulk for trade customers.
• Wafers Wafer products including Wafers, Disc Wafer, Fan Wafer, Other Wafers, and Wafer Curl for dessert decoration and serving in ice cream and gelato businesses.
• Cake & Bake (Semifreddo and Bakery) Bakery products including Semifreddo and Cake Bake items for gelato and dessert businesses looking to expand or complement their frozen dessert offer.
• Packaging Ice cream packaging including paper products, take-home boxes, Napoli containers, Ecogel trays, and compostable options for ice cream parlours and gelato businesses.
• Utensils Ice cream serving utensils including portioner scoops in various sizes (100, 20, 24, 30, 16), eutectic scoops, serving spatulas, cone stands, and flavour signs for ice cream parlour operations.
• Sprinkles & Decorations Decoration products including sprinkles and various toppings for finishing and presenting ice cream products.
• Gelpro Range Antonelli's own-brand gelato ingredient range including stabilisers, emulsifiers, flavour pastes, and ripples, offering UK gelato professionals a cost-competitive alternative to premium imported Italian ingredients.
• Comprital Ingredient Range Italian specialist range of high-quality ingredients for artisan gelato and pastry including emulsifiers, stabilisers, and topping sauces, supplied by Antonelli as the exclusive UK distribution partner for Comprital (part of Italcanditi Group since 2020).
• Martini Gelato Ingredient Range Italian professional gelato brand under the Unigrà food group offering high-quality ingredients and semi-finished products for artisanal gelato makers, including pistachio pastes, variegati, ripples, semifreddo products, and chocolate couvertures; supplied by Antonelli as the exclusive UK partner.
• Ice Cream Training (Gelato Academy) Professional ice cream and gelato training courses operated by the Antonelli Gelato Academy including the 'So you want to make gelato' course, 1-1 training sessions, and support for starting an ice cream business in the UK.
• Personalisation Service Custom personalisation services for ice cream businesses including branded sleeves, personalised packaging, and custom product development for cones.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• CompritalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive UK distribution partner for Comprital, an Italian company specializing in high-quality ingredients for artisan gelato and pastry. Antonelli showcases Comprital products at SIGEP and offers their full range including variegati, flavour pastes, and topping sauces.
• Martini Gelato (Unigrà)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive UK partner for Martini Gelato brand under Italian food group Unigrà, created to serve professional artisanal gelato makers. Range includes nut pastes, variegati, ripples, semifreddo products, and chocolate couvertures.
• Italcanditi GroupmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorComprital joined Italcanditi Group in 2020, expanding globally while maintaining commitment to excellence. Italcanditi Group supports Antonelli's exclusive partner's international reach.
• SIGEP (Rimini Exhibition Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual attendance at SIGEP in Rimini, world's largest exhibition for gelato, pastry, chocolate, coffee and bakery. Antonelli team attends to preview global trends and identify products relevant for UK market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brakes Group: Major UK foodservice wholesale distributor serving restaurants, caterers, and hospitality operators. Comparable to Antonelli in serving UK foodservice customers through B2B distribution, though without Antonelli's specialist gelato/ice cream concentration or training services.
• Bidfood: UK foodservice wholesale distributor serving restaurants, pubs, and hospitality businesses with broad product ranges. Comparable to Antonelli as a UK B2B foodservice supplier, though at vastly larger scale and across all food categories rather than ice cream specialty.
• Bakels: Global supplier of bakery ingredients, mixes, and coatings with established UK operations. Comparable to Antonelli in serving UK bakeries and dessert businesses with B2B ingredient supply, though focused on bakery rather than ice cream/gelato specialty.
• Puratos: Belgian global supplier of bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredients to professionals and retailers. Comparable to Antonelli in B2B ingredient distribution model and customer segments (bakeries, dessert businesses), though operating at a much larger scale across multiple bakery/cake categories.

Direct peers

• Irca Group: Italian manufacturer of chocolate, ice cream, pastry, and bakery ingredients for industrial and artisanal customers. Comparable to Antonelli in supplying professional gelato/ice cream ingredient solutions across Europe, though with broader industrial footprint.
• PreGel: Italian-headquartered global manufacturer and supplier of gelato ingredients, bases, flavour pastes, variegati, and toppings. Most direct comparable to Antonelli in product mix and target customer (artisan gelato and ice cream professionals), with far larger international scale.
• Bravo (Gelato Equipment): Italian manufacturer of gelato, pastry, and chocolate equipment serving professional artisans worldwide. Similar target customer and channel overlap with Antonelli's equipment and supplies business for UK gelato makers.
• Carpigiani: Italian manufacturer of gelato and pastry making equipment, including batch freezers and display cabinets. Comparable to Antonelli as an Italian-rooted B2B supplier serving the same UK and European artisan gelato professional customer base.
• Fabbri 1905: Italian family-owned manufacturer of gelato ingredients, toppings, syrups, and variegati with over a century of heritage. Directly comparable to Antonelli as a heritage Italian/European brand supplying premium gelato ingredients to professional users.

Emerging players

• Comprital (Italcanditi Group): Antonelli's exclusive UK distribution partner, part of Italcanditi Group since 2020. A partial peer — Antonelli distributes Comprital in the UK, so there is both partnership and indirect channel overlap as Comprital develops its own international reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/antonelli_uk
• Xx.com/antonellibakery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/antonelli-bros-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Antonelli