Morelli's Gelato

What Morelli's Gelato does

Morelli's Gelato is a privately held, family-owned premium gelato and coffee company headquartered in England, operating since 1907 across five generations of the Morelli family. Its core product is artisanal gelato churned fresh in-store every morning from all-natural ingredients with no artificial flavouring or colouring, executed under a trademark family recipe introduced into the UK by founder Giuseppe Morelli. The product portfolio extends from gelato and sorbets into sundaes, waffles, crepes, milkshakes, gateaux, panini, focaccia, and a signature Kilimanjaro–Colombian Arabica coffee blend, complemented by take-home litre packs, bespoke gelato cakes, and dog gelato.

The company monetises through five distinct streams: in-store retail sales across company-owned UK parlours (Broadstairs, Whitstable, Margate) and franchise locations (Dubai Mall, Dallas, two Metro Manila sites, upcoming Tashkent); an e-commerce store selling branded merchandise such as Venetian artisanal crockery, coffee beans and Nespresso-compatible capsules, gift vouchers, and apparel; gelato cart hire for private events; bespoke gelato cakes and litre packs for off-premise consumption; and franchise/licensing fees as the primary vehicle for global expansion, led by Bibi Morelli. The go-to-market is predominantly direct-to-consumer via flagship retail experiences in premium locations (UK seaside towns, luxury malls such as Shangri-La Plaza and Greenhills, Dubai Mall) with a strong emphasis on in-store theatre, vintage 1950s décor, and freshly made product, supplemented by delivery (Deliveroo, Quiqup) and owned e-commerce. Customer segments are diversified across seaside tourists, families, upscale mall shoppers, gift buyers, and health-conscious US consumers via a soft-gelato 'Express' format.

Name

Morelli's Gelato

Legal name

Morelli's Gelato

Website

https://morellis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Morelli's Gelato is a family-owned, England-registered premium gelato and coffee company, founded in 1907, producing fresh artisanal gelato daily in-store and selling it through company-owned UK parlours, international franchise locations, e-commerce, and event hire, serving tourists, families, and upscale mall shoppers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Gelato & Dessert Retail

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gelato Manufacturing (AFAHAEAD)

Keywords

• Artisan gelato production
• Ice cream parlour
• Specialty coffee retail
• Dessert franchise
• Branded merchandise

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Gelato & Dessert Sales: Revenue from physical store sales of freshly made gelato, sundaes, milkshakes, waffles, crepes, gateaux, croissants, panini, focaccia, and signature coffee. Stores operate daily with fresh daily production.
2. E-Commerce Merchandise Store: Online sales of branded merchandise including gift vouchers, crockery (sundae glasses, plates, coffee cups), water bottles, tote bags, clothing, stationery, coffee beans, and coffee capsules.
3. Gelato Cart Hire for Events: Vintage-style gelato cart hire for private events, including pre-event consultation with an expert Gelatiere to select flavours. Revenue generated upon application/pricing inquiry.
4. Litre Packs and Gelato Cakes: Take-home gelato in half-litre and litre packs, and bespoke gelato cakes (8 and 10 inch) available with 48 hours notice. Gelato boxes launched for summer with 5-tub packs.
5. Franchise Fees and Licensing: Franchise model driven by Bibi Morelli's vision to expand globally; franchisees pay to open and operate Morelli's Gelato stores, leveraging the brand's heritage, recipes, and operational support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Morelli's Gelato produces and sells artisanal gelato churned fresh every morning in each store from a five-generation family recipe introduced into the UK in 1907, using all-natural ingredients with no artificial flavouring or colouring. The company operates gelato parlours serving sundaes, waffles, crepes, milkshakes, gelato cakes, litre packs, and signature Arabica coffee, complemented by an e-commerce store selling branded merchandise (Venetian crockery, coffee beans/capsules, apparel, gift vouchers) and gelato cart hire services for private events.

Product overview

Morelli's Gelato is a premium ice cream and coffee company offering artisanal gelato made fresh daily in every store since 1907. The product portfolio centers on Fresh Gelato (the core product made from all-natural ingredients with no artificial flavoring), complemented by in-store offerings including Sundaes, Waffles, Crepes, Milkshakes, and Signature Family Blend Coffee. The company operates an E-Store selling retail merchandise (Coffee Beans, Coffee Capsules, branded crockery including Coffee Cup & Saucer, Vintage Plates, Gondola dishes, Sundae Glasses), accessories (Tote Bags, Water Bottles), and gift products (Gift Vouchers, Postcard bundles). Specialty products include Dog Gelato (for canine companions), Gelato Cakes (customizable in 8-10 inch sizes), Gelato Boxes and Litre Packs (for takeaway/home consumption). Services offered include Gelato Cart Hire for events and Children's Events featuring educational workshops and sundae stations. The company has expanded globally with franchise locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Gelato

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Zaguan Latin Café and Bakery (Dallas, USA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMorelli's Gelato Express operates within the Zaguan Latin Café and Bakery in downtown Dallas, Texas. The partnership allows Morelli's to serve its soft gelato to the café's customers in a complementary dining environment.
• No42 Guesthouse (Margate, UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorelli's Gelato parlour is co-located beneath No42 Guesthouse in Margate, creating a synergistic hospitality experience for guests staying at the guesthouse and visitors to the seaside location.
• Bibi MorellicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBibi Morelli drives the global franchise expansion strategy with a shared vision and 15 years of experience developing and supporting franchisees. She is the primary visionary behind taking the Morelli's experience worldwide.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Häagen-Dazs: Globally recognised premium ice cream brand with widespread retail shop and café presence; comparable to Morelli's as a premium-positioned ice cream/gelato consumer experience, though it operates at vastly greater scale and relies more on distributed manufacturing.
• Carvel: Established US ice cream and cake retailer with a franchised store model selling soft-serve, packaged ice cream and ice cream cakes. Comparable to Morelli's on ice cream retail, franchise distribution and bespoke cake offerings, though positioned more as a mass-market chain.

Direct peers

• Amorino: European gelato chain with global franchise footprint, selling artisanal gelato in flagship retail locations and tourist destinations. Closely comparable to Morelli's in product, premium positioning and franchise-led international expansion model.
• Venchi: Italian heritage chocolate and gelato brand with retail stores worldwide, combining artisan gelato with branded merchandise. Comparable to Morelli's on heritage-led Italian positioning, gelato production and branded retail experience.
• GROM: Italian premium gelato chain (now under Unilever) operating company-owned and franchised stores globally with an emphasis on natural, high-quality ingredients. Directly comparable to Morelli's on artisanal Italian-style gelato, ingredient quality and international retail expansion.
• Gelato Messina: Australian artisan gelato brand that has expanded into international markets and operates dessert-focused stores with adjacent products (cakes, takeaway tubs). Comparable to Morelli's on craft gelato, brand-led retail experience and cult premium positioning.
• Salt & Straw: US-based artisanal ice cream chain known for small-batch, chef-driven flavours and a strong retail storefront experience. Comparable to Morelli's on premium positioning, in-store made-fresh positioning and branded dessert experience.
• OddFellows Ice Cream Co: Independent US craft ice cream maker with parlour locations focusing on unique, small-batch flavours and a premium retail experience. Comparable to Morelli's on artisanal production, premium pricing and destination dessert retail.
• Bassetts Ice Cream: Long-standing UK heritage ice cream brand operating retail parlours, similar to Morelli's in heritage positioning, UK seaside tourist footprint and ice cream/dessert parlour retail model.

Regional players

• Cream Stone: Indian gelato and ice cream chain with a large store network focused on premium dessert retail experiences. Comparable to Morelli's on gelato-led dessert retail and branded experience, though operating primarily in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Morelli's Gelato