Berto’s Gelato & Sorbet, a division of Arizona Italian Ice, Inc., announced the recent acquisition of 50-year-old Charl’s Ice Cream Specialties, Inc., located in Woburn, Mass. This new acquisition of specialty ice creams allows Berto’s to fill a niche by expanding into the ice cream and portion controlled dessert segment.  
 
Founded in 1950, Charl's Ice Cream Specialties is a gourmet ice cream manufacturer with an extensive line of products for the foodservice and retail industries. Charl's products currently include a full range of ice cream pies, ice cream chocolates, ice cream truffles and old-fashioned Italian style desserts such as Spumoni and Bisque Tortoni.
 
 “The acquisition of Charl’s was a strategic decision based on geography, quality and demand for Berto’s on the east coast,” said Ed DeBartolo, president of Berto’s. “We will be able to serve our east coast clients in a timely manner and give them the attention they deserve, as well as adding some new, exciting ice cream options.”
 
Both Charl’s and Berto’s pride themselves on using all-natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. Berto’s looks forward to continuing the Charl’s Ice Cream tradition by making its ice cream with only the finest all-natural ingredients.
 
Both have reached a wide audience of ice cream lovers from gourmet restaurants to retail stores nationwide. Berto's is able to replicate gelato produced in a small Italian Gelateria with their state-of-the-art facility in Phoenix, Ariz.

Consumers also can find Berto’s and Charl’s at the grocery store level through retail chains, club stores and a number of high-end reputable private labels, such as Whole Foods and Fresh and Easy.

Berto’s continues to offer traditional and unique flavors that change with the seasons. Berto's in-house team consists of a food scientist and a master Gelato maker who create custom flavors to suit specialty menu needs. They practice the traditional Artisan Hot Process and its team is trained annually on location in Italy, leaving with the same passion and skill from the finest Gelato craftsman in the world. Berto's base creams are individually produced and naturally reduced in fat, while some competitors use powder bases to achieve a lower fat content. 

For more information, contact 623/434-1141 or visit www.bertosicecream.com.