Looking for inspiration for your gelato cabinet this season?
At this year’s ICA Exhibition at the NEC Birmingham, we showcased over 40 flavours, new ingredient combinations and trending concepts designed to help gelato businesses stand out.
From modern flavour pairings to classic bestsellers, the stand gave visitors plenty of ideas they could take straight back to their own cabinets.
Since the very first ICA exhibition, Antonelli has showcased every single year – and 2026 marked our biggest and boldest stand yet. New this year and positioned right at the entrance of the hall, our stand was impossible to miss.
A New Stand for a New Chapter
Now that we’re fully settled in our new home at the NEC Birmingham, we invested in a completely redesigned exhibition stand.
The stand was constructed using four shipping containers, upcycled to create:
- A fully functioning gelato kitchen
- A dedicated Cone Zone
- An upstairs meeting platform with panoramic exhibition views
The Upstairs Meeting Space
A standout feature was our platformed meeting area, accommodating up to 20 guests.
This platformed space allowed us to host focused, intimate meetings with customers, complete with exceptional coffee provided by Mulmar Foodservice, and hosted by Rachel from Customer Service. The platform provided a professional yet welcoming environment for meaningful discussions about ice cream, ingredients, cones and business growth.
The Gelato Kitchen: 40+ Flavours in Action
At the heart of the stand was our fully operational gelato kitchen, giving visitors the opportunity to watch live demonstrations and ask questions while gelato was being produced. The kitchen was equipped by Machinery World with:
- The brand-new Compacta Vario Icona
- Two CK100 blast freezers
Our three display cabinets holding 40 pans plus 12 cremini / 24-flavour pans were supplied by RSS Hereford, Taylor’s and Carpigiani.
The kitchen was led by:
- Antonio De Roma – Technical Manager
- Michelle Williams – Midlands & Wales Regional Business Manager
- Ryan Cox – South East Regional Business Manager
Thanks also to Natalie from Customer Service for assisting across the counters. Together, they worked tirelessly to ensure every cabinet was filled and every visitor could taste our gelato at its best.
Cabinet Highlights: New Products, Classics & Cremini
One of the most popular parts of the stand was the display cabinets, which showcased a mix of new flavour trends and proven bestsellers – perfect inspiration for anyone planning their next gelato menu.
Cabinet One: New & Trending Flavours
This cabinet showcased our newest launches and premium fruit and nut inclusions.
Most popular flavours:
- Salted Peanut Dubai (Flavour of the Month) – Salted Peanut Paste (MAE37PZ) rippled with Dubai Salted Caramel (KPC843)
- Baklava – Baklava Paste (A01044) rippled with Dubai Pistachio (KPC842) – see recipe reel here
- Vanilla Fudge – Vanilla Madagascar Creamy Paste (A01011) with Fudgie ripple (A03053)
Thanks to Charlie from Dolly’s Desserts for assisting with the new product cabinet.
Keep your eyes out for Salted Peanut Dubai, along with many other flavour ideas on our socials: Follow us here
Cabinet Two: Antonelli Classic Combinations
Celebrating some of our most loved flavour pairings, including:
- Zillionaires – Tutto fondente (MAI70DF), Lush Brownie (A03025), Cream Cheese Paste (KPC770) & Brunella Gold (MAX43ND)
- Blackcurrant & Liquorice – Blackcurrant Paste (A01042) & Black kiss liquorice ripple (MAJ01AJ)
- Rhubarb & Custard – Custard Cream Paste (A01014) rippled with Lush Rhubarb (A03023A)
These timeless combinations continue to be favourites for artisan gelato makers looking for reliable bestsellers.
Thanks to Tate from Dolly’s for supporting the Antonelli classic combinations cabinet.
Cabinet Three: 24 Cremini Flavours
Our third cabinet featured 24 cremini flavours, allowing customers to taste without clashing flavours – providing a cleaner, more focused tasting experience.
Salted Caramel Dubai (KPC843), Lush Rhubarb (A03023A) and Cheeky Monkey (A03019) proved particularly popular with visitors.
The 2026 Cone Zone
This year, we introduced a dedicated Cone Zone, featuring our brand-new artisan cone:
Smoothy® Palermo – the perfect cone for portion control.
The Cone Zone reinforced our commitment to supporting customers with quality products that enhance both taste and profitability.
Beyond Gelato: The Full Antonelli Range
The opposite side of the stand highlighted our complete artisan gelato range, including:
- Packaging solutions
- Mazzoni fruit purées
- Topping sauces and chocolates
- Napoli cones
- Spoons
- Innapoli and Ecogel packaging
- Decorations and inclusions
This gave visitors a full view of how Antonelli supports the complete ice cream operation, from ingredients and cones to equipment and packaging.
Our Busiest Show to Date
2026 was the busiest ICA exhibition yet.
We welcomed a mix of new and returning customers, with non-stop tastings, meetings, and conversations across both days.
We’re already looking forward to delivering an even bigger and better experience in 2027. If you didn’t get a chance to speak to one of our reps – we apologise! Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Sales & Technical Manager Jonny Ireland at jonnathan.ireland@antonelli.co.uk.
A huge thank you to everyone who supported the stand, including:
- Our team at Antonelli
- Alberto from Comprital and Massimo from Martini
- Charlie & Tate from Dolly’s Desserts
- Nicola from Mazzoni
- Machinery World, RSS Hereford, Taylor’s and Carpigiani
Your expertise and energy ensured every visitor experienced ice cream at its very best.
To everyone who visited us at the NEC Birmingham – thank you. Events like the ICA exhibition are a fantastic source of inspiration for ice cream and gelato businesses – from discovering new ingredients and flavour combinations to seeing the latest equipment and presentation ideas in action. We hope you experienced the quality, innovation, and passion that define Antonelli.