Five minutes with Hannah Wood, Founder & Chief Gelato Maker Little ‘Lato recently partnered with our team at Crave and opened up shop next to our takeaway counter. As a bespoke gelato joint that aims to add a little more joy into your day, we spent five minutes with Hannah Wood, Founder and Chief Gelato Maker, about her passion for gelato and how Little ‘Lato started.
What sparked your inspiration for Little ‘Lato?
The dream for Little ‘Lato first sparked after I received a scholarship to study at the Carpigiani Gelato University in Italy. I had always loved ice cream but it was in Italy that I really fell in love with Italian gelato. Gelato still isn’t that well known here in New Zealand (especially compared to other countries around the world,) so I was inspired to help kiwis also fall in love with gelato. I figured it would only be a matter of time and I wanted to be a part of it!
I also have several friends who are unable to have dairy, so I wanted to give them something to be excited about too. That’s why Little ‘Lato always has a number of dairy-free alternatives (and not just the boring options).
Tell us about the process in starting up Little ‘Lato and how long it took to get the shop up-and-running
Although the dream of setting up a gelato business has been in the background for a while, the actual process to set up the Little ‘Lato shop at Crave happened really quickly! I had been in discussion with Crave Cafe and was initially planning on supplying them with gelato to use in their restaurant menu (as part of validating my business concept). This whole plan changed last minute and we decided to go full-steam ahead with a full gelato bar! Within about two months, we were up and running and ironing out the crinkles as we went!
How do you come up with your flavours?
That’s a tricky question to answer! Most of the time it’s trying to think of some of the foods and flavours that I like best and then trying to convert them into gelato form! I love experimenting with new and interesting flavour combinations, and try and think of what would appeal to the people around me too. Everyone is different, so I want there to be a good variety that caters to all. I also am often looking at what is happening overseas (or thinking back to what I have tasted overseas in past holidays) and seeing what sort of flavours are trending in restaurants. Then it is a matter of experimenting and seeing what works!
What’s your favourite thing about the Crave community?
I love the heart of the Crave community for people. Food is one way that is fundamental for connecting people, and I love that I now get to be a part of connecting people! Crave has some awesome initiatives and I am inspired to see how Little ‘Lato can be a part of something much more than just gelato.
What ice cream flavour do you think represents yourself and why?
I think banana and peanut butter would have to be one of the flavours that most represents me. Mainly because I am an absolute sucker for banana and peanut butter (eating the two on the daily). One of my favourite food combos, just put into gelato form!
If you’re as excited as we are about Little ‘Lato opening up, you can add a little sweetness to your day by finding them right next to our takeaway counter in Crave. Whatever your dietary requirements, the Little ‘Lato range includes gelato, sorbet and other vegan alternatives. With flavours ranging from raspberry lamington to mango lassi, you need to pop in quickly to get a taste, as new flavours are introduced regularly.
What sparked your inspiration for Little ‘Lato?
The dream for Little ‘Lato first sparked after I received a scholarship to study at the Carpigiani Gelato University in Italy. I had always loved ice cream but it was in Italy that I really fell in love with Italian gelato. Gelato still isn’t that well known here in New Zealand (especially compared to other countries around the world,) so I was inspired to help kiwis also fall in love with gelato. I figured it would only be a matter of time and I wanted to be a part of it!
I also have several friends who are unable to have dairy, so I wanted to give them something to be excited about too. That’s why Little ‘Lato always has a number of dairy-free alternatives (and not just the boring options).
Tell us about the process in starting up Little ‘Lato and how long it took to get the shop up-and-running
Although the dream of setting up a gelato business has been in the background for a while, the actual process to set up the Little ‘Lato shop at Crave happened really quickly! I had been in discussion with Crave Cafe and was initially planning on supplying them with gelato to use in their restaurant menu (as part of validating my business concept). This whole plan changed last minute and we decided to go full-steam ahead with a full gelato bar! Within about two months, we were up and running and ironing out the crinkles as we went!
How do you come up with your flavours?
That’s a tricky question to answer! Most of the time it’s trying to think of some of the foods and flavours that I like best and then trying to convert them into gelato form! I love experimenting with new and interesting flavour combinations, and try and think of what would appeal to the people around me too. Everyone is different, so I want there to be a good variety that caters to all. I also am often looking at what is happening overseas (or thinking back to what I have tasted overseas in past holidays) and seeing what sort of flavours are trending in restaurants. Then it is a matter of experimenting and seeing what works!
What’s your favourite thing about the Crave community?
I love the heart of the Crave community for people. Food is one way that is fundamental for connecting people, and I love that I now get to be a part of connecting people! Crave has some awesome initiatives and I am inspired to see how Little ‘Lato can be a part of something much more than just gelato.
What ice cream flavour do you think represents yourself and why?
I think banana and peanut butter would have to be one of the flavours that most represents me. Mainly because I am an absolute sucker for banana and peanut butter (eating the two on the daily). One of my favourite food combos, just put into gelato form!
If you’re as excited as we are about Little ‘Lato opening up, you can add a little sweetness to your day by finding them right next to our takeaway counter in Crave. Whatever your dietary requirements, the Little ‘Lato range includes gelato, sorbet and other vegan alternatives. With flavours ranging from raspberry lamington to mango lassi, you need to pop in quickly to get a taste, as new flavours are introduced regularly.