What is artisan ice cream

Ice cream shop signs often feature the word artigianale, “artisan” or “made on the premises”. It sounds like a seal of quality. In reality, there is no binding standard behind these words. If you know what artisan ice cream means – and what it doesn’t – it’s easier to tell marketing from honest work.

A word without a legal definition

Italian gelato artigianale has no legal definition, not even in Italy. The trade portal GelatoNews points this out. Italian Law 443/1985 (the so-called framework law on crafts) does define an artisan business, but mainly by the fact that the owner’s personal and manual work predominates and the number of employees is limited. It says nothing about ingredients, methods or the taste of the ice cream. An artisan business, then, doesn’t automatically mean an artisan product.

The 2025 draft law

In July 2025 the topic reached the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (Masaf). The food magazine Gambero Rosso published a draft law at the time, inspired by the rules for craft beer. It proposed six criteria:

• independence – the shop must not be part of a franchise,
• raw ingredients rather than industrial semi-finished products,
• the label fresco (fresh) only with at least 50 % fresh ingredients,
• no more than 3 outlets per business,
• production on site in the gelateria, not in a central production facility,
• the label agricolo with at least 50 % of ingredients from the business’s own farm.

We were unable to verify, as of 2026, whether and in what form the draft was adopted. So take it as an illustration of what Italians themselves understand by artisan ice cream, not as a rule in force.

What artisan ice cream usually means

Although there is no law, the trade has a fairly clear idea. Artisan ice cream:

1. is made on the premises or in the shop’s own laboratory, in small batches,
2. starts from basic ingredients – milk, cream, sugar, fruit, nuts, chocolate – rather than a ready-made base you just mix with water,
3. is frozen in a batch freezer in smaller quantities, typically for 10–15 minutes (according to the textbook by H. D. Goff of the University of Guelph),
4. contains less air and has a denser texture than industrial ice cream,
5. changes its range with the seasons – strawberries in summer, chestnuts or pumpkin in autumn.

Points 4 and 5 are given, for example, by the Italian equipment manufacturer Frigomeccanica. They are practical signs, not official criteria.

What artisan ice cream doesn’t mean

• It isn’t automatically healthier. It contains about as much sugar as industrial ice cream. The sugar isn’t there for nothing – it keeps the ice cream soft.
• It isn’t a guarantee of safety. A small shop must follow the same hygiene rules as a large one. Inspections in both Slovakia and Czechia find shortcomings every year, precisely in unpackaged ice cream.
• It doesn’t mean no additives at all. Stabilisers such as locust bean gum (carob gum, E410, from carob seeds) or guar gum are commonly used in small amounts even in honest production. They help slow down the growth of ice crystals.
• It doesn’t have to be Italian. Cream ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt can all be made the artisan way too.

A powdered base isn’t forbidden

Some shops use a powdered ice cream mix – a semi-finished product that is mixed with milk or water and frozen straight away. The Czech Decree No. 397/2016 Sb. defines it as a separate product with a water content of no more than 4 %. So it is a legal, regulated ingredient, not a fraud. It just isn’t production from fresh ingredients, and it sits less comfortably with the word “artisan”.

Between making everything in-house and using a ready-made base there are many shades in between. Many ice cream shops make their base from milk and cream but use ready-made pastes for flavour (pistachio or hazelnut paste, for instance). A good paste made from pure nuts can be better than a homemade mix from poor nuts. What matters is the composition, not the word “paste” itself.

Italy as the model

Artisan gelato holds a strong position in Italy. According to the trade magazine Ristorazione Moderna (2025), Italians eat about 2 kg of artisan gelato per person per year and turnover exceeds 3.1 billion euros. According to the same source, artisan gelato accounts for about two thirds (66 %) of ice cream consumption in the country. These figures come from trade media, not from a statistical office, so treat them as indicative.

What to ask at the ice cream shop

If you want to know what you’re eating, ask directly. An honest shop will be happy to answer.

• Do you make the ice cream here, or is it brought in?
• Do you make your base from milk and cream, or do you use a ready-made mix?
• Which flavours are made from fresh fruit?
• Can I see the list of ingredients and allergens?

You’ll find more about what to look for right at the display case in the article on how to spot good ice cream.