Gelato may be one of Italy’s most iconic treats, but American technology played a surprising role in shaping the gelato we know today.

After World War II, the Bagnoli family in Tuscany acquired abandoned US military freezers and adapted them for gelato production. The technology allowed them to freeze gelato more consistently and produce larger quantities while keeping its signature dense, smooth texture.

What followed helped gelato move beyond neighborhood shops and become a staple of Italian summers — and eventually a global favorite.