Island Gelato
“After falling head over heels for gelato in Sydney, Ana Schwarz founded Island Gelato in 2014 with her partner Geoff Tippett. Since then, Island Gelato has become known for its amazing flavour, finding success in many realms, including being named Leefield Station Diary Champion 2024 for its Rich Chocolate Gelato at the Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards. ”
Ana Schwarz has been a keen foodie for much of her life, even being a contestant on MasterChef in 2012, so it’s not surprising she has a career in food. She believes her journey was created by two experiences. Firstly, her time on MasterChef “awakened” her passion for food, and then she was inspired by a 2013 visit to legendary Sydney gelateria, Gelato Messina.
“Tasting that gelato and the amazing flavour was an epic experience that never left me, the vibe, the music, the whole concept was incredible,” Ana recalls. With a new passion ignited, Ana realised that gelato would be perfect for Waiheke Island. “For Geoff and me, Waiheke was the perfect location to make the gelato dream real, there are great producers there and it was just the perfect environment.”
With a plan to set in motion, she brought in her business and life partner Geoff, who had a background in coffee roasting - and the pair haven’t looked back since! Ana says while the idea for a gelateria came naturally setting up the business up was no smooth sailing.
“Gelato is very scientific. You have to design each flavour, like a restaurant dessert, it is all about balancing ingredients, so you not only have a stable product, but you can take your customers on a flavour journey.”
Alongside mastering the tricky craft of making gelato, Ana says getting things started was hectic as she was juggling many different roles at once. “In the early days I was doing everything,” she laughs. “I was one of those crazy chefs running around in the kitchen being a pastry chef, a gelato chef, a dishwasher, then I’d even run the product down the road if we sold out.”
While the first couple of years were challenging, things moved quickly for Ana and the team. Soon enough they outgrew their kitchen and moved into the Auckland ferry building. Ana says that although the start was tricky to navigate, her culinary background helped get things off the ground. “It feels like you’ve got to master and perfect the craft, but I think in terms of the basis of things, having a chef background helped because you think about gelato in terms of balance and textures.”
Ana loves the artistry of gelato for its versatility. Gelato can have a singular focus on signature flavour and then just as easily it can offer the wacky and wild.
“The team and the business community have been a big support for us in the early days, and we wouldn’t have success without local help and support.” Winning at the Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards was a massive moment for Island Gelato. “One thing about Island Gelato is that we’re pretty humble, and we were so busy working on the business that I never really entered those competitions,” she explains. “It was an amazing moment because I realised I’d put myself into the category of being a producer.”
These days Island Gelato has five stores around Auckland and Waiheke Island, delivering flavoursome gelato as well as delicious, crafted gelato cakes. Not content to stand still, Ana has plans for Island Gelato including to begin offering tubs, as well as having a few other top-secret projects.
Ana hopes Island Gelato will become a legacy that lives on, becoming a mainstay of New Zealand’s desert world. “We want to do something that lives longer than us, the success we’ve had in such a short length of time makes us proud, driving us on to perfect what we’re doing.”
To order Island Gelato, see their range and find their scoop stores visit the website.