A Somerset ice cream maker is scaling up production after landing its first major export contract in the Middle East.
Weston-super-Mare-based Gelato Bros has secured a contract with a supermarket chain in Saudi Arabia, adding international sales to a growing UK customer base that includes independent health food stores and grocery apps in major cities. The company’s plant-based choc ices travelled 3,000 miles to reach Saudi shelves in August, marking a significant step for a business that founder Osama Rashed launched during lockdown.
Trading internationally wasn’t something Osama had expected. The opportunity arrived while he was on honeymoon, when he received an email from a major Middle Eastern supplier. “They told me they had seen our brand and thought it would go down well with their customer,” he said. “To be honest, I thought it was spam – luckily, they chased me a few weeks later and everything moved very quickly after that.”
Gelato Bros began life with a different product. After leaving London, where he had been working long hours, Osama began exploring the idea of starting his own business. “I was in London, working long hours and moving figures around on a spreadsheet,” Osama explained. “Like so many people during the pandemic, I took to walking to clear my head. I was listening to podcasts by successful entrepreneurs and thought about starting a business of my own. I was looking for something unusual that would stand out in a crowded market, and a friend introduced me to mochi – Japanese ice cream balls, which were having a moment on TikTok.”
After travelling to Bologna to learn the art of gelato making, Osama launched Gelato Bros with plant-based mochi in flavours influenced by his British-Egyptian heritage. Pistachio Baklawa remains one of the brand’s best-sellers. Finding the right market proved challenging, however, and the business later switched its focus to plant-based choc ices.
Central to Gelato Bros is its “clean labelling” approach, with a focus on ingredients customers can easily understand.
“I’d spent my life reading ingredient lists due to religious dietary requirements,” said Osama. “There were so many additives, like flavourings, preservatives, colourings and emulsifiers. A pistachio flavour product might contain only 1% pistachio, and be coloured green using artificial dyes. I was keen to head back to more natural foods. A freezer product shouldn’t need preservatives, but these things have become the norm for people. If a food item is cleaner, you should feel better. Our Pistachio Baklawa choc ice is 14% pistachio.”
The Saudi contract brought a new challenge: producing enough ice cream to meet demand while continuing to supply UK customers. “It (Osama’s original ice cream machine) made around 2.5kg per batch, and we were looking to put out 100kg a day – around 40 batches,” he explained. “I roped in anyone I could and we worked around the clock. For around four weeks, all our ice cream went into that order, which meant there was little left to fulfil our UK orders – and, predictably, all our stockists sold out during successive heatwaves.”
The increase in orders prompted Gelato Bros to invest in a larger ice cream machine, built to order in Italy. Arriving in August, it has increased production sixfold. The investment was supported by £103,000 in finance delivered by SWIG Finance on behalf of the British Business Bank, comprising £41,000 through Start Up Loans and a £62,000 South West Investment Fund loan.
Osama initially received a £25,000 Start Up Loan in 2022, followed by a further £16,000 Second Loan in 2026 as the company continued to grow.
“I’d wanted one for a while, but Jim said we needed a firmer footing for the loan,” said Osama. “The Saudi order boosted the application, enabling me to apply for a second Start Up Loan and a small business loan together – I didn’t know I could do that, but Jim was super-helpful, and it was his knowledge of what I could borrow that got the ball rolling.”
With its first Saudi order shipped, Gelato Bros is now in talks with another Middle Eastern retailer while continuing negotiations with British chains.
“I could never have done that with a 2.5kg ice cream machine,” he laughed.
The business is now focused on sustaining its growth, with potential flavour development in the future, while also establishing itself as a local employer in Weston-super-Mare. There’s been recognition for its flavours too. At the 2026 Great Taste Awards, Gelato Bros received a two-star rating for its salted peanut butter flavour and one star for Pistachio Baklawa.
“Osama demonstrates tenacity and flair for flavours; it really comes across when working with him,” said Suzy Lowe from SWIG Finance. “The Start Up Loan scheme has been able to support this business from conception and now in its next phase of growth – a wonderful success story for Osama with a world of potential to grasp. I’m excited to follow his progress.”
Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, provides personal loans of up to £25,000 per director at a fixed rate of interest, alongside free mentoring for people starting or growing new and early-stage businesses. In the South West, the scheme is delivered by SWIG Finance.
The South West Investment Fund provides commercial finance to new and growing businesses across the region, including smaller loans from £25,000 to £100,000, debt finance from £100,000 to £2 million and equity investment of up to £5 million.
To order your Gelato Bros ice creams go to their website and follow their news on Instagram and Facebook.
Photo credits to Jon Craig Photographer
