Today we’d like to introduce you to Owen Carlson
Hi Owen, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Gelato La Boca is bringing all the taste and passion of true artisanal Argentinian gelato to Dallas. Made to the standard of the best gelato shops in Buenos Aires, our gelato has a richness and taste you won’t find in this hemisphere.
Our namesake comes from the most colorful neighborhood of Buenos Aires, La Boca, the mouth of the city. It’s the place where Argentina welcomed its immigrants, starting a cultural exchange that would give us the gelato flavors we love. Gelato La Boca embodies the colors, flavors, and passion of this unique and wonderful place.
We started about a year ago and have been working steadily to give Dallas the best gelato in the world. Customers can order gelato directly from us, so they can enjoy it fresh, or they can find us in Central Market.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Certainly not a smooth road. Trying to be an artisanal gelato brand without having a permanent physical location has it’s own difficulties. It’s tough to get customers to learn about and understand the quality of our gelato when they can’t visit a shop to taste some.
We’ve tried to combat this with our gelato cart, with which we cater events and pop up wherever we think people are going to be.
When you’re able to get people in front of Gelato La Boca, they understand the difference.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We make artisanal, Argentine-style gelato. Argentina has a love affair with gelato, in part due to a large amount of Italian immigration. This love drives them to keep experimenting to make the best flavors possible. Our Gelato differs from the Argentine style in that it contains a higher proportion of cream, resulting in bolder flavors and a more luxurious mouthfeel.
It might seem like a small detail but if you try each of them side by side it makes a world of difference. Personally, with the amount of gelato I’ve eaten, I can’t go back to the Ice cream you find in supermarkets.
We take a lot of pride in the ingredients we use. We certainly could make a cheaper product but the quality is worth it.
My Friend and Business partner, Martin Pereyra de Olazabal, was born and raised in Buenos Aires and moved to Texas 20 years ago. He really missed the flavors of home and had been considering doing something with gelato for over a decade before we sat down together and decided to do something about it. Our Dulce de Leche gelato is the best in the world and he’s too picky to settle for less.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Gelato makes me happy.
Not only is it delicious, but when you pass it out as a dessert, suddenly the whole room lights up. Conversation picks up and people visually loosen. A really good treat has that effect on people so we love to be part of that experience.
We want to be a reason for people to come together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gelatolaboca.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/gelatolaboca
Image Credits
Allison Smith ( the second pic)
