Ciao Bella Gelato

• The Scoop on Our Flavors
• About Ciao Bella
• My Ciao Bella
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F.W.Pearce, CEO

Since its humble beginnings as a single 300-square-foot ice cream factory in New York’s Little Italy, Ciao Bella has relied on the entrepreneurial spirit and discerning taste buds of CEO F.W. Pearce.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, F.W. graduated from Hamilton College and Cornell University’s Stalter School of Hotel Administration certain of one thing: he did not want to run a restaurant or hotel. When he spotted a tiny advertisement in the The New York Times - "Ice Cream Factory For Sale" - F.W. knew he’d found the sweet spot.

"Here was a family-run business that had 50 wholesale customers, one freezer, one pick-up truck, and one ice cream machine," he recalls. Recognizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, F.W. scooped up the factory and the transformation of a cool regional company into a red-hot national sensation had begun.

F.W. has kept Ciao Bella on the tip of the tongue of the gourmet food world by seeking out premium ingredients from around the globe and displaying an uncanny knack for forecasting popular tastes. "We have a single-minded focus on making the very best product possible," he said. "When you take a bite of Ciao Bella gelato, you can be sure that you’re tasting the best ice cream that money can buy."

Charlie Apt, President

Charlie Apt has an unwavering commitment to producing the best ultra-premium gelati and sorbetti on the market - period. His unique, forward-thinking strategy has helped capture the imaginations of celebrated chefs and sophisticated palettes now screaming for ice cream across the country.

"Ciao Bella has an unrivalled product that meets the exacting standards of our most difficult customers - chefs," comments Charlie. "They're happy when they can offer their customers premium products in hot new flavors. And we’re happy when we know that we’re upholding our reputation for top-notch customer service."

Originally from Long Island, Charlie holds an undergraduate degree from Haverford College, and an MBA from Columbia University. Charlie worked in finance for many years before eventually yielding to his dual passions for food and entrepreneurialism by becoming a partner and owner in the Ciao Bella Gelato Company. Charlie and Ciao Bella proved a perfect complement of flavors and the rest is ice cream history.

Through Charlie's efforts, Ciao Bella is now available in gourmet shops and select supermarkets nationwide. Plans are in the works to open additional Ciao Bella Scoop Shops and retail accounts.

"People all over the country appreciate superior ingredients and taste," says Charlie. "We’ll continue to expand, but will never compromise our commitment to quality. Our goal is to make sure that everyone with a savvy sweet tooth has access to Ciao Bella."