We celebrate the ‘World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development’ with gelato flavours that portray the world from a fresh point of view.
Food is not merely a substance; it’s a universal language capable of telling stories, traditions and identities that transcend geographical and cultural boundaries. At Casa Optima this richness takes shape thanks to the people who are a part of it, as each contributes with their individual culinary tradition,
transforming diversity into a source of inspiration. It is precisely from this meeting of perspectives that gelato flavours capable of telling the story of the world from a fresh view are born.
To mark ‘World Day for cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development’, our Group R&D Manager for the Ice Cream Business Unit, Carlo Vanni, tells us about Kulfi Cream, the 2026 novelty of the line “Oriental Tales” by MEC3, which draws inspiration from Kulfi, a traditional Indian spiced dessert, it
presents itself as a rich variegate enhanced by the crunchiness of the pistachio and salted cashew grains and the precious aromatic notes of saffron.
Developed with the invaluable contribution of Indian Ambassador Karthik Swaminathan, Kulfi Cream is also becoming extremely popular in Europe, along with all the products in the “Oriental Tales” range, the MEC3 line that celebrates the richness of Middle Eastern tradition.
How do these new products come about?
“The process begins immediately after Sigep, with brainstorming sessions involving teams from all over the world, during which numerous ideas are generated and then selected and evaluated, also on the basis of their production feasibility,” explains Carlo Vanni – Over
the years , we have developed specific flavours for different markets, creating taste profiles that are ideal for certain geographical areas, but also for countries characterized by a distinct cultural melting pot”.
If the first interlocutor always remains the gelato maker, the consumers also prove to be increasingly ready to welcome novelties with a global outlook: Millennials, in particular, are among the most receptive to these new experiences. Alongside a more traditional audience, there is in fact a group of curious
consumers eager to discover different flavours and traditions.”
The 12 references of the Oriental Tales line are proposals that the gelato maker would struggle to develop independently outside certain contexts, yet today they fully represent the present and future of the sector.
From this perspective, cultural diversity is not merely a source of inspiration, but a genuine driver of innovation. What is designed and created at Casa Optima thus becomes a bridge between cultures, a way of exporting flavours, stories, and identities to new markets.