Founded in 1969 by Italian immigrants Nobile and Olimpia Tranzilli, Tranzilli’s makes Italian water ice daily at its Germantown production facility for retail and wholesale customers. Still owned and operated by the original Italian family, the Philadelphia company preserves its homemade recipe and the bold flavor and texture developed to hold up in the heat for local factory workers. From its beginnings serving Germantown, Tranzilli’s has grown into a national wholesale business while retaining its family tradition.
Hall's Ice CreamFounded in 1947 when John Allen Hall made ice cream for his wedding, Hall’s Ice Cream still produces its original-recipe ice cream and sherbet beside the family farm in Millerstown, Pennsylvania. One of Central Pennsylvania’s last remaining family ice cream businesses, Hall’s makes its products in small 10-gallon batches and serves them in an old-fashioned parlor as well as through stores and restaurants across the region. The recipes and process have remained essentially unchanged since the company began.MILLERSTOWN, PA
Rosati IceFrom a hand-cranked basement operation in West Philadelphia, Rosati Ice has made Italian ice since 1912 and today produces its smooth, naturally flavored frozen treats in Clifton Heights. Founded by Sam Rosati, the company calls itself the original Italian ice maker in the United States and has grown from horse-drawn wagons to a national brand serving schools, scoop shops and retailers. Its current line emphasizes dairy-free, nut-free and gluten-free recipes without artificial dyes, while its school program has made the cups part of cafeteria fundraisers and seasonal menus.CLIFTON HEIGHTS, PA
Velvet Ice CreamFrom a basement confectionery in 1914 to more than five million gallons a year, Velvet Ice Cream makes premium ice cream in Utica, Ohio, still using the recipe Joseph Dager developed at the company’s founding. The family-owned business is now led by fourth-generation sisters Luconda and Joanne Dager and remains closely tied to Ye Olde Mill, its longtime home and visitor destination. Velvet distributes throughout the Midwest while welcoming more than 150,000 visitors annually to its headquarters.UTICA, OH
Pitango GelatoBorn from founder Noah Dan’s childhood in Trieste, Italy, Pitango Gelato makes authentic Italian gelato and fresh-fruit sorbet, churning each batch on site with organic milk from grass-fed Jersey cows. Founded in 2006, the still-family-owned company has grown to eight locations across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, adding a Fells Point bakery and café in 2015. Its made-from-scratch products contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.BALTIMORE, MD