SHEBOYGAN, Wisc. — The Gottsacker family has gelato-making down to an exact science. Nearly two decades of practice will get you there.
Baron Gottsacker and his wife, Emily Hopkins Gottsacker, own and operate Baron’s Gelato out of Sheboygan.
They started from humble beginnings in 2007 with restaurant backgrounds and a love for the frozen dessert.
“Italy has an amazing gelato culture that’s been centuries upon centuries,” Baron said. “Wisconsin has amazing dairy culture.”
So, he decided to put the two worlds together.
Now, the business boasts over 400 classic and original flavors.
“Even wild stuff like roasted bone marrow, tomato sorbet, blue cheese gelato,” he noted. “We serve most of the state of Wisconsin.”
Baron’s Gelato is sold in over 30 restaurants and popular tourist destinations, like Blue Harbor and Door County.
“I feel so proud of both of us that we’ve come this far,” Emily smiled.
Outside of his own business, Baron teaches at Gelato University in Italy and consults up-and-coming frozen dessert shops worldwide.
His signature creations have also won him awards at international competitions.
Watch: Sheboygan gelato family named one of the new vendors for Brewers games
It’s just their small tribe behind the booming success: the couple, Baron’s sister, parents and a few cousins.
“This is the truest sense of the word 'family business,'” added Emily.
Recently, Baron’s secured one of its biggest clients to date—the Milwaukee Brewers.
A gelato cart will be serving up some of the most popular flavors, including Cookies & Cream, Pistachio, and Door County Cherry, at American Family Field.
“It was really quite astonishing seeing how many seats there are and people and the energy and everything,” Emily said. “It was so incredible.”
“We have a captive audience of, let’s say, 35,000 people, 81 to 82 home games a season that are able to enjoy our product now,” added Baron.
It’s a dream come true for Baron’s. The hope is to continue to knock their flavors out of the park and “put smiles on people’s faces.”
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