By: Elise Phillips Margulis

Mike Guerriero and his wife Bre, owners of Gelotti, bring joy to New Jersey residents with their multi award-winning and delicious gelato, ice cream, Italian ice and cakes. They have been serving happy customers in their Caldwell and Montclair locations since 2014 and have recently opened a shop in Randolph.

When they aren’t inventing and sharing delectable frozen desserts they are participating in philanthropic activities. Some of the causes they’ve donated money and/or frozen desserts to are rebuilding Crane Park in Montclair, Caldwell and Montclair children’s programs, scholarship funds and Circle K (Kiwanis) at Caldwell University. 

Recently Guerriero discovered that a beloved Montclair employee, Aaron Brunert, was taking a taxi from Garfield to work because his car had broken down. Brunert has been working for the Guerrieros for two years. He’s a valued employee who delivered ice cream to the home of an ill customer, ran the shop when Mike was in Italy competing at a gelato festival and even created the Montclair Make Music Day flavor. 

The Guerrieros consider their employees family so Mike found a car and purchased it for Brunert. Mike also invited the couple who sold the car to him to the shop to present the keys to Brunert with him. Brunert was stunned and very grateful.

This isn’t the first time Mike and Bre have helped an employee. Mike revealed that they have fixed their workers’ cars, have two managers living with them and bought two employees phones this year.

“These kids do so much for me, we are truly a family, and it hurts to see them struggle so Bre and I do all we can to help them out because of what they do.”

In addition to local and statewide awards, Mike was named the 37th Gelato Chef in the world at the Gelato Competition in Italy.  He also competed in the 2019 Gelato Festival America in Miami and won the national title for his Blueberry Basil gelato. This win makes him eligible to compete as one of three American chefs in the Gelato Festival World Masters 2021 in Italy. 

The Guerrieros are now rebranding. Mike shared that his first job was at Gelotti in Paterson and he named the Caldwell shop Gelotti in honor of the Paterson location. “Over the years, and in order to better suit Caldwell, we developed a unique experience in our shops that has won us local, statewide, and international awards.”

He continued, “We looked in the mirror and realized we are our own independent business and it was time that we branch off from the Gelotti brand and Gelati by Mike will be a whole new brand where we will continue the work we did in Caldwell. The best parts of the past will be the foundation for the new future we build.”

Whether the Guerrieros are serving their mouthwatering frozen desserts, helping employees, donating to charitable organizations or winning awards; they are always spreading happiness.