Welcome to Partner Provisions. In honor of National Ice Cream Month, we’ll be introducing you to the incredible people behind our favorite frozen treats to share their stories of sweet success.
- Name: Noah Marsh
- Company: Coletta Gelato
- City: San Francisco
- Website: https://colettagelato.com
- Instagram Handle: @colettagelato
What is Coletta Gelato?
Coletta Gelato is San Francisco’s first real gelateria in the SoMA district. We make fresh, handcrafted, artisanal gelato every day. We consistently received recognition for the ultra smooth texture and depth of flavors that meld Italia with California.
Tell us the story of Coletta Gelato.
Our founders, Henri and Antonio, met while studying for their Master’s of Management in Food and Beverage in Milan, Italy. With their shared Italian roots and passion for food (gelato specifically) they became fast friends. They soon decided to attend Gelato University (yes, that’s a real thing!), where they trained with Italy’s top gelato makers. Inspired by their experience, they established Coletta Gelato – affectionately named after Henri’s grandmother, Nicoletta, who first introduced him to gelato as a boy. Perfectionists at heart, they are dedicated to creating primo gelato – from texture to taste. They fell in love with San Francisco for its shared epicurean zest and proximity to fresh, organic ingredients. And now they are eager to bring fresh gelato to ALL.
What’s your dream for Coletta Gelato?
We want Coletta Gelato to be consistently stocked in every freezer in every office and every home in San Francisco and beyond.
What was the very first flavor at Coletta Gelato?
One of our first flavors was Almost Chai, and it’s still one of our favorites. We love infusions and with Almost Chai, we get to do 3 infusions in 1! Cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger…
Tell us about one of your signature flavors!
Our favorite flavor to hear our clients (try to) pronounce is Gianduja. Give it a try 😉 This is a classic gelato flavor in Italia but many people here haven’t had it before and they generally never order anything else.
What’s your favorite thing about bringing Coletta Gelato to offices?
As self-anointed anthropologists, we simply love seeing other realities. As entrepreneurs, we love the opportunity to learn more about other companies’ stories.
What is one thing not many know about Coletta Gelato?
We always joke around and sing, “It’s all about the Base!” The base is the starting mixture for any gelato or ice cream – milk, cream, and sugar. One reason our gelato tastes so good and different than others is that we control the quality and texture from the very beginning. As a certified Dairy Plant, we pasteurize our proprietary base, as opposed to buying a premade base.
What is your biggest challenge as a restaurateur?
A challenge that we have accepted is understanding that our business, like so many others, is a human business and things like kindness, empathy, and clear communication always come first and, inevitably, take us the farthest.
What piece of advice would you offer to a new restaurateur or someone starting out in the food business?
Always allocate resources for strong hiring, ongoing training, and ongoing training for the leadership team.
Tell us about a time where Coletta Gelato played a role in bringing people together or helped to foster community.
Some time ago, we had a young lady bring her family to Coletta after trying Coletta us at an office event. She wanted to share the experience of Coletta Gelato with her loved ones. That was a special moment for us because we realized that having Coletta Gelato could be more than a culinary experience. This may not sound like much, but it propelled us to think a bit differently about our identity and values.
We recognized that the Coletta experience was a valuable experience and a resource we could use for a greater good. We have since shared the Coletta Experience with local nonprofits, volunteers, residents affected by last year’s Santa Rosa fires and more.
How has office catering helped your business grow?
Office catering is a significant part of our business now and will continue to be as we grow!
What do you like most about partnering with Zerocater?
Zerocater provides us with access to so many offices that we would not otherwise get. And we can’t wait to start working with the Snack Team!
Anything else we forgot to ask?
Yes! When is our next office gelato party?