Andrea Bistaffa
Andrea was born in Milan in 1980. At the age of six, he moved with his parents to the province of Novara, near Lake Maggiore.
After completing middle school, he enrolled in a scientific high school, where he earned his diploma. During his studies, he was introduced to the world of gelato, working summers in local gelato shops as a laboratory assistant. It was in this environment that he began to uncover the secrets of the craft, but he soon realized he had many questions that no one seemed able to answer.
In 2000, he enrolled in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration for Public and Private Enterprises at the Bicocca University in Milan. At the same time, he pursued his passion for food and gelato, deciding to study food chemistry on his own to find answers to those lingering questions. This exploration led him to discover the deep connection between gelato and numbers, sparking a lifelong passion.
After completing his academic journey and acquiring business management skills, he continued studying while waiting for the right opportunity.
The opportunity arrived in 2005 when Andrea was introduced to GnomoGelato, which quickly entrusted him with the development of its newly launched business. Andrea embraced the challenge and, within two years, recognized its hidden potential. He decided to go all-in, acquiring the company shares, taking the helm of GnomoGelato, and redefining both its production and business strategies, achieving promising results.
But something was still missing. Once again, there was untapped potential. This time, the missing piece was marketing and communication to scale the business further.
After working with various industry professionals, he realized that marketing was a jungle, complex and unpredictable. So, once again, he decided to do it his way. For three years, he trained with the best professionals in the field, investing in his own growth and becoming the leading expert in gelato marketing.
When he applied his innovative marketing strategies to GnomoGelato, the results were extraordinary: in just three years, revenue increased by 250% and continued to grow steadily, even during the pandemic.
Andrea's expertise made him a recognized figure in the industry. In 2015, Irinox, a global leader in cold chain technology, selected him as its brand ambassador for gelato. In 2019, Carpigiani University invited him to teach both Italian and international students, a role he held until 2022.
These experiences strengthened his public speaking skills and provided him with direct insight into the challenges faced by thousands of entrepreneurs in the sector.
Meanwhile, Andrea and GnomoGelato have earned the prestigious "3 Coni Gambero Rosso" award for five consecutive years, a distinction granted to only a select few gelato shops nationwide. In 2020, he also won the Best Chocolate Gelato in Italy award from Gambero Rosso.
The next challenge? Ensuring the success of his future students, no excuses and no limits
Gelato entrepreneur
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