The market for ice cream is growing in the UK, with this segment of the food market forecast to increase continuously by 34.4% between 2025 and 2030, according to Statista. Ice cream revenue is estimated to reach a new peak of £1.97 billion by 20230, with ice cream parlours rising in popularity.
There are approximately 1,015 ice cream parlours across England, Scotland, and Wales, and Creams is the biggest UK brand, boasting circa 100 stores. But its CEO, Everett Fieldgate, has highlighted a common mistake Brits make in the hot weather. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, the dessert industry insider revealed that his 17 years of experience have convinced him that one frozen treat stands head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to beating the heat.
Everett said: “While a standard scoop of ice cream on a hot day is not to be sniffed at, personally, I wouldn’t go for anything other than a proper gelato.
“You can’t beat it. People outside the dessert industry often think they’re the same thing, but they’re really not.”
One of the biggest differences between traditional ice cream and gelato is the fat content.
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), ice cream typically has a fat content of 8-10% by weight, though in premium ice creams it can be as high as 15-20%.
The major sources of fat used in industrial ice cream are cream, milk, butterfat, and vegetable fat. Meanwhile, gelato usually contains 4-9% fat.
Fat acts as an insulator in your mouth, and the more fat you mix, the longer it sticks around.
The Creams CEO notes: “As temperatures ramp up, water is—scientifically speaking—better at cooling you down than ice cream.
“Given it has less fat than ice cream, your body doesn’t need to work as hard to digest it, allowing for a more sustained cooling effect.”
Lower-fat gelato melts more quickly on your tongue, absorbing heat from your mouth in the process, which ultimately cools you down faster.
Beyond fat, texture is another distinguishing characteristic of gelato. “It is churned more slowly and with less air, making it smoother and silkier”, says Everett.
“This results in a creamier mouth feel that ice cream just can’t match”, he added.
Many people may not know that gelato, which is deep-rooted in Italian culture, is served at a slightly higher temperature than ice cream. This ensures that your tastebuds can get the full impact of the flavour and aren’t dulled by the extreme cold, revealed the Creams CEO.
He elaborated: “Really, there’s no contest for me…once you’ve indulged in a delicious gelato, there’s just no going back to a standard ice cream.
At Creams café, we’re very proud of our signature gelato, where in addition to using only the finest ingredients, we allow our gelato mixes to rest for a minimum of four hours before freezing to allow the flavours to intensify and mature.”
Creams do not have a fixed number of gelato flavours. They offer a wide variety of options, including both classic and seasonal flavours.
Everett revealed: “My favourite flavour has to be White Chocolate – it’s one of our more niche flavours, but delivers on the textural experience, via white chocolate pieces, and the creamy, flavoursome mouth feel.”