About the business:
New Haven, Connecticut doesn't exactly conjure up images of fresh, authentic Italian desserts. But Guiliana Maravelle saw room in New England for a decent gelato. She first got into the gelateria business because she was looking to serve the dessert at her New Haven Panini café. But the bar was high -- Maravelle grew up in Italy, and couldn't find gelato in America comparable to the kind she remembered from home. So, she started making her own. Now, her business has expanded, and she runs a wholesale production facility that distributes her products across the Northeast U.S. Maravelle is now debating how to hit new markets, either by making different types of gelato to appeal to new customers, or taking what she's got to different locations.
This year's Inner City 100 companies have fought off a sluggish economy through a combination of smart investment and savvy strategy. Here's how they are doing it.
