Donegal Town's Little Mamma’s Gelato launches in SuperValu stores nationwide
Little Mamma’s Gelato is a gelateria based in Donegal Town, which was founded by Jon and Linda Geary - after running a café for 20 years while raising their children, they developed a deep passion for hospitality and food
Little Mamma’s Gelato are one of 25 new food and drink producers now launching their products in selected SuperValu stores across Ireland, following their completion of the Food Academy programme.
This marks an exciting new chapter for Little Mamma’s Gelato as they bring fresh, locally made, ice cream gelato to selected local SuperValu stores.
Little Mamma’s Gelato is a gelateria based in Donegal Town, which was founded by Jon and Linda Geary. After running a café for 20 years while raising their children, they developed a deep passion for hospitality and food. Inspired by their own childhood experiences of visiting ice cream parlours, they set out to bring that same joy to Donegal in 2018.
Jon trained in Italy with renowned gelato chefs to perfect the craft, and since then, Little Mamma's has become known for offering authentic Italian gelato made with love and passion. Little Mamma’s is now venturing onto the retail shelves to allow customers to enjoy this great-tasting ice cream range every day, whilst remaining its commitment to quality and authenticity.
This launch highlights the growing impact of the Food Academy in shaping Ireland’s food innovation landscape. By supporting new and growing producers, the programme not only cultivates entrepreneurship but also strengthens Ireland’s vibrant food culture and ecosystem. It ensures that consumers have access to a diverse range of local, high-quality products, while nurturing the creative, sustainable, and forward-thinking brands that will define the future of Irish food & drink.
The Food Academy, now in its 12th year, is a partnership between SuperValu and the Local Enterprise Office and is the only accredited producer development programme in Ireland, from Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin). Food Academy offers participants a Certificate in Food Entrepreneurship and a robust combination of mentoring, industry insights, and retail strategy.
Through expert-led workshops and direct engagement with SuperValu’s Food Academy team, producers refine their products and build the skills needed to succeed in a competitive retail environment. The programme’s results speak volumes: Food Academy products have exceeded €260 million in retail sales, with a projected €30 million in sales for 2025 alone.
Jon and Linda Geary, Founders of Little Mamma’s Gelato, said: “ The Food Academy has played a huge role in the growth of our business, providing essential insights on packaging, branding and market research. We would highly recommend the programme to other small businesses looking to grow and make an impact.”