Gelato releases 2024 sustainability report

Global manufacturing platform Gelato, has released its 2024 Sustainability Report, which underscores the urgency—and opportunity—of shifting from centralized mass production to local, on-demand production, the company said. Macro factors like rising trade barriers, supply chain instability, and growing expectations from consumers are impacting executive decisions.

Highlights include:

• 99% of orders were fulfilled within the same region as the customer
• 88% were fulfilled within the same country
• Early adopters of GelatoConnect reduced inventory overhead by 20% and achieved up to 25% shipping savings
• Over 5,000 new SKUs were launched for local production
• 100% of suppliers and partners were risk-assessed and signed Gelato’s Code of Conduct

In 2024, Gelato completed its first Double Materiality Assessment, identifying where the company can have the greatest positive impact and where it must take the greatest responsibility. The results confirmed what Gelato has believed for over a decade: the current production model of speculative, centralized production is no longer viable.

“Local production is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s becoming essential,” said Henrik Müller-Hansen, Founder and CEO of Gelato. “This is not just a more sustainable path; it’s a more resilient and scalable one.”

Gelato operates two fully integrated platforms, transforming how products are designed, sold, and produced:

• GelatoCreate helps creators and entrepreneurs build global businesses without inventory risk or upfront investment. It automates personalization, pricing, mockups, and fulfillment—enabling global growth while minimizing waste and shipping transportation distances.
• GelatoConnect, launched at Drupa 2024, empowers print service providers (PSPs) to run more efficient operations by consolidating procurement, workflow, and logistics into one machine-agnostic operating system. The platform supports improved control, reduced waste, and profitable growth—even as product ranges expand and expectations rise.

As centralized supply chains grow more volatile—and as customers demand smarter, faster, and greener alternatives—Gelato’s model is proving both environmentally and financially sustainable across its dual platforms:

• ESP Colour, a PSP in the UK, increased EBITDA by 2.2× in just 8 months with GelatoConnect, while reducing shipping costs by 25% and freeing up 20% in warehouse capital.
• Bennett Graphics, a PSP in the US, cut annual waste from 41% to 10% with a key client, reducing material use and improving profitability.
• Printique, a Dubai-based ecommerce brand, fulfilled over 20,000 personalized orders using GelatoCreate’s local production network—scaling quickly across Europe while aligning with customer sustainability values.

“Sustainability at Gelato isn’t something we layer on top,” added Müller-Hansen. “It’s embedded in how our platform operates: producing only what’s sold, closer to where it’s needed.”