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US-based artisanal gelato and sorbet producer Villa Dolce Artisan Desserts has announced the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Glendale, Arizona. The new 76,000-square-foot facility features 18,000 square feet of cold storage – which can hold up to 1,700 palettes – and has room for future expansion. The plant incorporates four gelato lines that can create over 1 million 3-gallon tubs, 15.6 million pints and 26 million ice cream sandwiches per year. According to Villa Dolce, it is “the largest national wholesale gelato brand,” with more than 200 distributors across the US. The new cold storage will help the company ensure uncompromised quality to its co-packing customers. Monte Marcaccini, founder and CEO of Villa Dolce, said: "Mastering the perfect Italian gelato meant becoming proficient in the techniques I learned in Rome, as well as importing the best Italian equipment to create a truly authentic product. But like many manufacturers of frozen desserts, there are additional challenges we must meet in order to maintain product integrity – and that's why we expanded and created this new facility." The company says it is eyeing up the artisan dessert category and plans to expand its range to offer desserts in 2024.