Scooping success: chasing the sweet dream
For Massey alumna Hannah Engelsman (nee Wood), a childhood love of ice cream has turned into something incredible. As the founder of Little ‘Lato, she’s behind a gelato brand that’s changing the way Kiwis enjoy frozen treats. Growing up in Whangaparaoa, Hannah always had a soft spot for ice cream, but a life-changing scholarship to Italy brought her gelato dream to life.
In 2015, Hannah received a scholarship to attend the renowned Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy, and it changed everything. “That’s where the dream for Little’ Lato began. I realised my world would never be the same again.”
“Little ‘Lato was built out of a pure love of gelato,” she explains. “I wanted to bring authentic Italian gelato to Aotearoa New Zealand, where we have the highest global consumption of ice cream but limited availability of premium gelato. It was only going to be a matter of time before gelato really hit New Zealand and I wanted to be at the forefront. I also selfishly wanted to be able to enjoy more of the good stuff back here!”
Academic foundations at Massey
Hannah’s journey into food technology began unexpectedly during a school careers talk.
She recalls, “That was my first introduction to food technology and my first time understanding how much science and work go into creating food products. I had never clicked that doing something like this that I loved could be a career!”
That spark of interest led her to Massey University, where she completed a Bachelor of Food Technology with First Class Honours. Her academic achievements were exceptional – she was awarded the Tui Brewery Scholarship in 2011 for being the top student in her degree, named a Massey Scholar as one of the top five per cent of students in the College of Science, and was included on the Pro Vice-Chancellor’s Merit List for three consecutive years. She later completed a Master’s in Dairy Science and Technology with Distinction.
“The Bachelor of Food Technology at Massey is a great degree. It involves a lot of science and engineering, which can be frightening in the first year or two… The work placements we had each year were one of the best parts of the degree as they gave me first-hand experience in the industry I wanted to work in.”
Hannah’s early career saw her working with some of the country’s biggest food industry players, including Fonterra (Tip Top) and Much Moore, but her heart was already set on carving out her own niche.
Scoop by scoop to national success
In December 2017, Hannah took the leap and opened her first gelato bar at Crave Café in Auckland. By the following year, she had expanded into the Auckland Fish Markets through a partnership with Good Karma Coffee. Since then, Little ‘Lato has grown steadily and organically, with parlours in Auckland, Hamilton, and Waipu, and partnerships throughout Coromandel, Rotorua, Timaru, and the Bay of Plenty. Their pre-packaged tubs are now stocked in boutique grocers, delis, and vineyards nationwide.
“Being little is a surprisingly big deal when it comes to making gelato,” Hannah says. “It means we can hand-select the finest ingredients, hand-make our gelato with love, and be hands-on in inventing all kinds of delicious new flavours. Every batch of gelato is churned in 10 or 20-litre batches in our Auckland kitchen. Compared to ice cream, gelato is served at a warmer temperature, has lower fat and has no added air. This creates a deliciously smooth and flavoursome product.”
Hannah’s creativity shines through in her flavours. “Think spiced gelato loaded up with chunks of Christmas pudding or interesting collaborations with some of our favourite local artisans,” she says. “We create a wide range of gelato flavours for those on gluten-free, nut-free or vegan diets also. We often find customers are blown away by the variety and indulgence of the products.”
Innovation is at the heart of Little ‘Lato, with more than 450 flavours of gelato created to date, and the list keeps growing. Innovation has also earned Little ‘Lato major recognition, including two Supreme Champion titles at the New Zealand Ice Cream Awards. At the 2024 awards, their vegan range took centre stage, with the Mango Lassi becoming the first dairy-free ice cream to be awarded the Supreme Award.
Staying resilient, staying real
Building a business has taken a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but Hannah shares, “I’m so glad I jumped out of my comfort zone and gave it a shot. I had to be resilient. There have been times that felt like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. But I took up every opportunity I could, and almost all the growth of my business has been entirely organic.”
Along the way, she’s been supported by mentors, friends, and early partners who believed in her dream. “I get so much joy seeing customers loving our products, and I am super proud of where Little’ Lato has got to so far.”