On 12 June 2019 organisers shared the line-up for the ninth edition of the Coppa del Mondo della Gelateria, the Gelato World Cup, a biennial competition run by Sigep (Italian Exhibition Group) and Gelato&Cultura. It brings together gelato chefs, pastry chefs, ice carvers and executive chefs chosen as the best from five continents.

The teams heading to Rimini

The 2020 event was set for 19-21 January in the South Hall at Sigep in Rimini, Italy. The confirmed teams were Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Poland, Argentina and Colombia. France and Italy, after years of alternating, were due to compete on the same stage.

One place remained open. The committee was reviewing proposals from Australia, Hungary and Morocco, with a decision due within days.

For the first time every team was chosen by the competition committee, which oversaw qualifying events around the world over 16 months:

• Feria Internacional del Helado, Mexico City (February 2018)
• Asian Gelato Cup at FHA, Singapore (April 2018)
• Longarone Eis Challenge (December 2018)
• Sigep Gelato d’Oro (January 2019)
• Expo Sweet in Warsaw and Intersicop in Madrid (February 2019)
• Tain l’Hermitage in France and Fithep in Buenos Aires (most recent rounds)

What the competition involves

Each team has a gelato chef, a pastry chef, an executive chef and an ice carver, led by a captain. Committee president Giancarlo Timballo said the decorated sundae cup trial had been replaced by a glass single-portion trial, reflecting a format that is booming worldwide, with the other trials unchanged. Carpigiani was named among the partners of the competition.

Organisers expected 60 competitors, 14 technical judges, 7 international media jurors and 3 jurors across 8 trials in 3 days: glass single-portion, mystery box, gelato cake, haute cuisine entrée, ice and brittle sculptures, gelato snacks, and a final grand buffet. Fans could follow updates at coppamondogelateria.it/en, on the Coppa Mondo Gelateria Facebook profile, and on Instagram, using the hashtag #CMG2020.

What this means for gelato makers in New Zealand

Trends such as single-portion glass desserts and gelato snacks are worth watching for any shop. Majors Group can help you build a menu around them with Carpigiani gelato machines, ISA gelato display cabinets and Silikomart moulds.

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