Traditional Italian Artisan Gelato
How 48 Flavours brings old-world craft to South Australia's freshest produce
Visit: https://48flavours.com.au/
48 flavours is a family-owned gelateria that produces an upmarket range of artisan gelato using fresh South Australian produce. Since 2012, it has grown from a single idea in regional Victoria into one of Adelaide's most awarded dessert brands — built on traditional Italian technique, genuine local ingredients, and a philosophy that gelato should bring people together.
Founded 2012, Mildura VIC expanded to Adelaide, SA in 2014
Founders Brian & Teresa O'Donnell
Stores today Six family-owned and operated locations across Adelaide
Signature style Traditional Italian gelato technique using South Australian produce
Dietary range Vegan-certified, dairy-free, and halal-friendly options
What Makes Gelato "Artisan"?
Traditional gelato is churned at a slower speed than industrial ice cream, incorporating far less air. The result is a denser, silkier texture with more concentrated flavour, served slightly warmer so those flavours unfold fully on the palate. "Artisan" gelato takes this further: it's handcrafted in small batches from real ingredients — fresh fruit, quality nuts, genuine chocolate and dairy — rather than concentrates or shortcuts built for shelf life. This is exactly the standard 48 flavours holds itself to, describing its philosophy simply as "made fresh daily."
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• Slow-churned for a dense, creamy texture rather than an airy one Non-hydrogenated vegetable fats no animal fats, no hydrogenated oils Sorbets built from real fruit roughly 30% real fruit content, about 1kg per tub
A rotating, seasonal range that celebrates what's fresh, including a dedicated summer range
Gelato-making in Italy is a centuries-old craft prized as much for technique as taste. 48 flavours draws on this heritage — founder Teresa O'Donnell's own Italian family background shaped the business — while showcasing South Australian produce and flavours inspired from around the world.
From Mildura to Adelaide
2012 Founders Brian and Teresa O'Donnell begin their gelato journey in Mildura, regional Victoria, inspired by Teresa's Italian
2014 Brian opens the first South Australian store on Gouger Street, Adelaide, near the Central Market drawn by the area's
Today Grown to six family-owned stores across Adelaide, with second-generation family members Stephanie and Michael O'Do
The name reflects the breadth of the range on display at once wide enough to cater to dietary needs, celebrate local produce, and explore unusual pairings, while keeping the classics on hand.
"Some of my favourite memories with Dad were always going to an ice cream store to spend some quality time together over dessert... being part of a growing business and community, watching it evolve and reach new heights, becoming leaders in the industry, and pursuing excellence together."
Stephanie O'Donnell, second-generation family member
Made Fresh Daily
The brand draws on the vibrant local community and wealth of seasonal produce in South Australia, with new flavours frequently developed in partnership with local growers to showcase the best SA has to offer. The menu is also built for inclusivity: vegancertified sorbets, dairy-free options made with oat milk, soy milk and coconut water, and a range that is almost entirely halal-friendly — the only exceptions being alcoholnamed flavours such as Baileys and Rum & Raisin.
This local-first mindset also shapes the brand's seasonal releases. Rather than keeping a fixed, unchanging menu, 48 flavours refreshes its range with the seasons — including a dedicated summer range each year — so that customers regularly encounter new combinations alongside long-standing favourites. It is this balance of consistency and discovery that keeps the 48-flavour display feeling fresh visit after visit.
Award-Winning Recognition
48 flavours has spent a decade putting South Australian gelati on the map. At the South Australian Dairy Awards, it has been named Most Outstanding Dairy Exhibit in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2025, and won Champion Ice Cream in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2025, alongside a long run of Gold and Silver Medals nearly every year since 2015.
On the world stage, the brand won second prize at the 2015 Gelato World Tour SemiFinal in Singapore for its Roasted Walnut and Honey Crunch, then took the People's Choice Award at the 2017 Gelato World Tour Final in Rimini, Italy — voted by over 20,000 attendees — for a Pear, Fig, Gorgonzola and Roasted Walnut flavour built on a creamy blue cheese base.
"Representing South Australia on such a prestigious platform allowed us to showcase our dedication to crafting exceptional gelato using fresh local ingredients... it also connected us with fellow gelato artisans worldwide that inspire us to continue to push the boundaries of flavour and creativity."
Brian O'Donnell, Founder
A Craft Built to Bring People Together
What began as a small family idea in regional Victoria has grown into a proudly South Australian success story — carrying local produce and Italian technique from Adelaide's Gouger Street to gelato competitions in Singapore and Italy. Yet the mission has stayed the same: to create products that
bring people together, and flavours people look forward to sharing. As a family-owned gelateria, 48 flavours describes its stores as places where "customers become friends and friends become family."
Learn more or find your nearest store at https://48flavours.com.au/
Sources: content published on the 48 flavours website, accessed 27 July 2026. This document is an informational summary and not an official publication of 48 flavours.