Andino Gelato, a new, locally-owned gelato store, will soon be opening two locations in the Austin area, according to a recent report in Community Impact. The food truck will be located at 1914 Guadalupe St and the brick and mortar store at 2214 S First St.
“Our objective is to present thirty-six flavors to our customers, at least seven or eight of those dairy-free,” co-owner Carlos Bejarano tells What Now Austin.
“The rest of the flavors are scratch-made, made without added air, preservatives or additives, natural and free of chemicals. Colors added in the cotton candy and bubble gum are vegetable-based, and all other colorings are achieved through the actual fruit.”
When asked about his rationale for the location, Bejarano illustrates the short-term and long-term strategy.
“We have always lived near here and seen that there’s a lot of activity. Given that our kitchen is in the south of Austin, we won’t be in the north of the city just yet, but eventually we’ll take on. At this point, the logistics would be too complicated so we’re trying to cover a good amount of the market on this part of town.”
Expanding on plans for growth, Bejarano names a couple of target markets.
“Our objective is not necessarily Austin, but college towns in general. College Station and San Antonio are two target markets we are interested in.”
Concluding the call, Bejarano notes the feeling of coming full-circle to this venture.
“My wife comes from a long legacy of ice-cream makers in Bolivia, one of the most notable brands there. We’ve been moving around for years, years in Venezuela, years in the United States, and I just recently retired. During the pandemic, I learned how to make ice cream and gelato along her side and now we are starting the business.”
