Kimberly Zanni is a master gelato maker.
While competing earlier this month at a gelato festival in Italy, the owner of Gelato di Babbo in Hummelstown was recognized as one of the top gelato makers in the world.
Zanni received a master gelato award from the Association of Professional Gelato Trainers during The Scirubetta — Festival del Gelato Artigianale.
The competition took place from Sept. 13-16 in Reggio Calabria with more than 100,000 people in attendance.
The award recognized her for her contributions to the enhancement of artisanal gelato. For Zanni, the recognition solidified her dedication to the craft.
“I felt like I was finally being acknowledged for the years of my life where it wasn’t about money. It was about preserving Italian culture and bringing it here,” she said.
About 20 years ago, Zanni introduced the world to her gelato, first peddling it from a cart in Lititz and later growing it into a full-fledged brand sold at Giant and Whole Foods in 25 states.
Gelato Di Babbo opened at 16 E. North Alley in 2020.
Zanni doesn’t use mixes or powders. Instead, she uses fresh, all-natural ingredients, including some imported items, such as pistachios grown in the volcanic rock of Mount Etna in Sicily.
The competition marked the second year in a row Zanni traveled to Italy for the festival. Last year, she captured two second place awards for an “Iron Chef”‑style gelato challenge and a bergamot-flavored gelato contest.
Her creation this year was “Heart of Calabria,” featuring a vanilla bergamot with caramelized figs, a red wine reduction, and roasted Calabrian walnuts.
Competing this year proved challenging for Zanni, who learned her father had been admitted to the hospital while she was in Italy. (He’s doing better now.)
While her gelato didn’t place, she said she enjoyed the experience and spending time with her son, Luca, 20, who joined her.
“It meant something and that’s the most important part. You want to know you left your footprint. My name is my legacy,” she said.
Customers have a few more weeks to stop by Gelato Di Babbo. Zanni said she’s closing the shop this fall to take some time off and contemplate her next project, possibly a flagship gelato store to franchise.
“If I’m going to do anything, I have to do it now,” she said.