Carpigiani Gelato University opens a new campus in Nigeria

2024 is a watershed year for gelato culture in Africa. Classes in the first gelato making course at Carpigiani Gelato University’s brand-new campus in Lagos, Nigeria, ended on June 14. The graduation ceremony was attended by Consul General Ugo Boni, who celebrated the event as an opportunity for the spread of Italian artisan gelato in the country.

The project was developed by the international gelato school’s headquarters in collaboration with Carpigiani dealer Cosmos Trade within the new Gelato & Coffee University campus. The course was created with the aim of conducting 3 annual training sessions for introduction to the gelato trade. The first 3-day professionalizing course was held June 12-14 with the participation of an international faculty member and a Nigerian faculty member specially trained in Italy. There were 27 participants mainly from Nigeria.

“The goal is to have a base in Central Africa that can attract future entrepreneurs from neighboring states as well.” – Comments Kaori Ito, director of Carpigiani Gelato University-“The basic language is English, and we are also keen on supervision from the faculty at headquarters so that the methods and topics are the same. However, we know that the challenges faced by a small gelato entrepreneur may be slightly different on a continent like Africa, so our partner is the dealer who has the pulse of the economic situation and can give marketing-oriented advice.”

As with the courses at the Anzola Emilia headquarters and other international campuses, the program of activities includes a daily activity divided between theory and practice. Participants will be able to continue their studies in Italy to learn more about balancing and alternative recipes.