Our Mission

We are a frozen dessert manufacturing company based in Phoenix, Arizona. With a 15,000 sq ft facility, over 40 years of experience, and extensive distribution capabilities, we can produce a high volume of premium frozen Italian desserts while maintaining a very high standard of quality.

We are capable of customizing and co-packing gelato, sorbet, Italian ice, and artisan frozen desserts for a wide range of clients and retail environments. Flexible packing capabilities, endless flavor options, specialty formulations, and quick turnaround times make Angelo’s the best option for any company looking to develop their own, unique brand of frozen Italian desserts.

We have the multi-generational expertise necessary to produce the finest frozen Italian desserts for any of the following food service/retail concepts.

• Restaurants
• Hotels/Resorts
• Casinos
• Amusement Parks
• High Schools and Universities
• Movie Theaters
• Zoos and Aquariums
• Stadiums and Live Music Venues
• Arcades and Bowling Alleys
• Hospitals and Nursing Homes
• Fast Food and Fast Casual Restaurants
• Airports and Cruise Lines

I grew up in Queens, New York, in an era when your word and a handshake meant something. From an early age, I was taught that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible. My dad emigrated from Italy in the early 50s. He was an old-school entrepreneur with a tireless work ethic. He was an accomplished chef and seasoned restaurateur. In 1979, he decided to start selling his signature ice in an Italian restaurant that he owned in downtown Phoenix. The word quickly spread around town about his delicious, iced dessert. His Italian ice had become so popular that he added his premium gelato to the dessert menu as well. At first, my dad only sold his ice and gelato at his restaurant. The demand for his frozen creations became so overwhelming that he made the decision to bring his decadent desserts to the rest of the world, so in 1982 he opened Angelo’s Italian Ice.

PIC 1 - Dad (left) in his goalie gear shortly after moving to the States from Bari, Italy.

PIC 2 - Mom and Dad on a date.

I spent most of my teenage and high school years working long hours at the factory, learning everything I could from my dad. After finishing high school, I decided to play baseball and pursue a business degree at the University of Arizona. After graduating from college, I made the decision to return home and help my father grow the family business. I worked with my dad for another 27 years until he retired in 2006, although to this day, he still loves to come by the factory and see how everyone is doing. In addition to the skills and knowledge that I obtained under my father’s tutelage, I have also studied, created, and formulated alongside Master Chefs from Italy, Spain, Argentina, and France. I have also collaborated with dieticians and national nutritional specialists which have helped us garner numerous accolades and countless awards for our fortified Italian ice, artisan gelato, and signature tartufo.

PIC 3 - My junior year playing baseball at Chaparral High School.

PIC 4 - My sister Marylynn, brother Mario, me, brother Jim, Mom and Dad 

We are committed to the local community and participate in annual events such as The Scottsdale Culinary Festival, Schnepf Farms, and Major League Baseball Spring Training. I continue to run the family business and even after 40 years, I am still extremely passionate about producing only the best-tasting and highest-quality desserts, because they will always have my family’s name on them.

Angelo Rana

PIC 5 - A family vacation in Rome, Italy in 2018.

PIC 6 - A family cruise to the Bahamas for my daughter’s 17th birthday in 2022.