The Gelato Festival World Ranking 2026, which lists the world’s best master gelato makers as judged by Gelato Festival World Masters, was unveiled in Rome at the Foreign Press Association in Italy, based in Palazzo Grazioli. Spain’s Carlo Guerriero took the top spot.

The podium

• 1st: Carlo Guerriero, La Cremeria Gelato Italiano, Cádiz, Spain
• 2nd: Tomasz Szypuła, Szypuła 1974, Baborów, Poland
• 3rd: Elisabeth Stolz, Osteria Hubenbauer, Varna (Bolzano), Italy

The ranking draws on more than fifteen years of international competition, thousands of tastings and over 8,000 gelato makers assessed across five continents. Positions reflect each competitor’s results across the whole circuit, plus evaluations of flavour, creativity and aesthetic presentation. It is compiled by Gelato Festival World Masters, the leading international competition for individual gelato makers.

A global, younger craft

Top places went to professionals working in Spain, Poland, Belgium, the United States, the Netherlands and Italy, which shows how international the sector has become. Italian-trained craftsmanship still inspires gelaterias well beyond Italy’s borders. The ranking also points to a new generation blending traditional Italian technique with regional ingredients and local food identity, working where gelato meets pastry, foodservice and dining experiences.

At the press conference, Ádám Fazekas of Budapest, the 2021 world champion, was inducted into the Gelato Festival World Ranking Hall of Fame. The event was held in partnership with Carpigiani and SIGEP World by Italian Exhibition Group.

Voices from the launch

• Adriana Tancredi, Project Manager of Gelato Festival World Masters, who has been part of the project since 2013, said the ranking closes a five-year international journey and gives a true picture of how artisan gelato is evolving.
• Federico Tassi, General Manager of Carpigiani, said supporting the ranking means investing in people before technology, since master gelato makers turn innovation into experience. He named training, quality and a global outlook as the keys to growth without losing identity.
• Ilaria Cicero, Global Exhibition Director for SIGEP World’s Food & Beverage Division, pointed to the launch of SIGEP Meets the World (first stop Chicago) and to upcoming editions: SIGEP Asia in Singapore from July 15 to 17, SIGEP World at Rimini Expo Centre in January 2027, and Las Vegas from April 13 to 15, 2027.

Top 10 Gelato Festival World Ranking 2026

1. Carlo Guerriero, La Cremeria Gelato Italiano, Cádiz, Spain
2. Tomasz Szypuła, Szypuła 1974, Baborów, Poland
3. Elisabeth Stolz, Osteria Hubenbauer, Varna, Italy
4. Giovanna Bonazzi, La Parona del Gelato, Parona, Italy
5. Christian Wu, Gelateria Giotto, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium
6. Savannah G. Lee, Savannah’s Kitchen, San Francisco, USA
7. Massimiliano Scotti, VeroLatte, Vigevano, Italy
8. Maurizio Melani, Véneta Gelato Italiano, Valencia, Spain
9. Kees Baars, IJssalon IJsie Prima, Callantsoog, Netherlands
10. Fabio Forghieri, Gelateria dei Principi, Correggio, Italy, and Leonardo La Porta, Gelateria Miretti, Turin, Italy (shared tenth place)

What this means for gelato makers in New Zealand

The ranking shows that quality, local ingredients and training set the best gelato makers apart. Majors Group supplies the full Carpigiani range in New Zealand, and you can build your technique with Carpigiani Gelato University. For the finishing touches, our Rubicone gelato ingredients are a good place to start when you are developing a signature flavour.

Source: Carpigiani news. Rewritten for New Zealand by Majors Group.