The premium dessert industry is undergoing a profound transformation, as consumers increasingly reject artificial ingredients, excessive aeration, and mass production in favor of transparency, craftsmanship, and authentic experiences. Yet, amidst this shift, few leaders possess the vision and discipline to truly challenge the status quo. Mariana Galvao, Founding Partner & Director of Vero Latte Gelato, is one such leader. Her remarkable journey from corporate contract law to the art of Italian gelateria embodies the power of purpose-driven entrepreneurship.
With over a decade of professional experience, she applies her legal expertise and culinary passion to create not merely products, but meaningful experiences that add genuine value to the business. Trained as a Gelatier at the prestigious Carpegiani University of Bologna and as an International Chef at Escola SENAC, Mariana brings a rare combination of strategic thinking, legal precision, and creative artistry to her craft.
Her mission is simple yet profound: to innovate in the gelato industry while remaining aligned with excellence and authenticity. Driven by the desire to create unique experiences and a constant pursuit of quality, she champions a spirit of freedom in the art of good living. For Mariana Galvao, true joy lies in witnessing people experience authentic moments with real gelato, a philosophy that has become the very soul of Vero Latte Gelato.
From law to gelato, A journey of purpose
Every journey has a beginning, and for Mariana, it started in law, where she built a strong foundation in negotiation, strategic thinking, communication, and decision-making. Yet, despite the stability and success, something was missing: the path was not fulfilling her soul. The turning point came during her pregnancy with her first daughter, when she made the bold decision to pursue an international culinary education, blending her love for food with a desire to create something meaningful. For Mariana Galvao , food became far more than a profession; it became her language of care, her canvas for creativity, and a reflection of her deepest values.
From this powerful intersection of motherhood, gastronomy, and entrepreneurship, Vero Latte was born. She envisioned a gelato she could offer her own children without hesitation, one crafted with real ingredients, radical transparency, artisanal craftsmanship, and a conscious approach to consumption. What started as a deeply personal dream soon took on a life of its own, growing into a premium gelato company with a distinct identity, a clear philosophy, and a vision that continues to inspire everything she does. Through gelato, she could spread joy around the world.
The original vision and its evolution
When Mariana Galvao first dreamed of Vero Latte, her vision was refreshingly simple: to create a truly delicious gelato without ever compromising on the quality or integrity of the ingredients. She wanted to challenge a belief that so many of us have quietly accepted: that indulgence and conscious consumption cannot coexist. Vero Latte was born to prove otherwise, showing the world that a dessert could be deeply pleasurable, undeniably sophisticated, and made with carefully selected ingredients, all at the same time. It was a gentle rebellion against the idea that we must choose between joy and integrity.
As time passed, that vision blossomed into something far more expansive. Vero Latte grew into a celebration of the art of well-living, crafting moments of pure pleasure while honoring ingredients, craftsmanship, people, and the environment. The brand expanded its horizons with signature mini gelato popsicles, frozen bombons, Vero Fresh, and the thoughtfully created Vero Balance line. Yet, through every new chapter and every new creation, Mariana Galvao has remained fiercely disciplined about quality, proving that growth and excellence can walk hand in hand.
The courage to choose quality over growth
Every entrepreneur eventually faces a crossroads where the path forward seems obvious, yet something inside urges a different direction, and for Mariana , one of the most difficult decisions came when she realized that growth should never come at the expense of quality. There were moments when expanding faster or reaching more points of sale could have looked like the smart business move, but she chose to listen to a quieter truth, keeping Vero Latte selective and deliberately reducing its market presence to approximately twenty carefully chosen locations because she believed with absolute conviction that protecting the product and the customer experience mattered far more than pursuing growth at any cost.
Along the way, entrepreneurship taught her another profound lesson: leadership requires the courage to make decisions before you have complete certainty. Mariana Galvao discovered that being a leader is not about having all the answers neatly lined up, but rather about holding onto clarity of purpose, listening carefully, taking full responsibility, and remaining consistent with your values even when the easier decision would be to walk the opposite way and this quiet courage has become one of the defining threads of her journey.
What sets vero latte apart
In a world filled with gelato brands, Mariana Galvao believes that what truly sets Vero Latte apart begins with what the company refuses to compromise on. Every batch starts with carefully selected ingredients and a slow maturation and processing method, allowing the flavors to develop remarkable depth and a naturally dense texture. Excessive aeration was deliberately eliminated because Mariana Galvao wanted each spoonful to feel closer to eating a real ingredient rather than an overly light or artificially expanded product. Behind the scenes, production is closely accompanied by a food engineer, reinforcing the brand’s unwavering commitment to consistency, technical precision, and quality.
Yet, for Mariana Galvao, the greatest differentiator lies in the beautiful marriage of craftsmanship and storytelling. Many of the flavors carry a story within them: people, places, memories, partnerships, or meaningful moments from the journey. Vero Latte has also created products and experiences specifically for brands and occasions, collaborating with names such as Tiffany & Co., L’Occitane, and Carla Amorim. In the end, Vero Latte is not simply about making gelato; it is about transforming a story into an experience that lingers long after the last bite.
Trends shaping the premium dessert industry
The world of premium desserts is evolving, and Mariana has her finger firmly on the pulse of this transformation. She observes that consumers are increasingly drawn to cleaner labels, transparency, real ingredients, reduced sugar, plant-based alternatives, and products that beautifully combine pleasure with well-being. Yet, beneath the surface lies something far more profound: premium consumers are no longer content with taste alone. They now seek provenance, craftsmanship, aesthetics, storytelling, and a genuine emotional connection with the brands they choose to embrace.
These shifting desires have profoundly influenced Vero Latte’s strategy. Vero Balance was born from the idea of enjoying dessert with a more conscious perspective, while Vero Fresh brings fruit-forward and refreshing experiences to the portfolio. For Mariana Galvao, the future of premium desserts belongs to brands that can successfully weave together indulgence, wellness, authenticity, and experience rather than treating them as separate, disconnected concepts. It is a future she is already helping to shape.
Cultivating a culture that protects the brand’s soul
Mariana believes that building a culture capable of maintaining quality, creativity, and customer focus begins with one unwavering principle: growth can never be allowed to dilute the essence of the brand. With this foundation in place, she encourages her team to question, experiment, and bring fresh ideas to the table, though always within a framework of excellence and respect for the product. The values that anchor her leadership are integrity, curiosity, discipline, generosity, and consistency, and these principles shape every decision and interaction.
She also understands that people need to grasp why they are doing something, not simply what they are doing, because when a team connects with the deeper purpose behind the brand, they become far more engaged in protecting and improving it. Ultimately, for Mariana Galvao, true leadership is about creating an environment where every person feels that their contribution genuinely matters.
Listening as a path to innovation
In Mariana’s world, every piece of customer feedback carries a quiet invitation to grow, and she regards it as one of the most valuable forms of market intelligence a brand can ever receive. She listens carefully to what customers say not only when they offer praise, but especially when they question something, because within every comment lies an opportunity to improve the product, the communication, or the overall experience.
Along the way, she has learned a profound lesson: innovation should never be driven solely by what the brand is capable of creating, but also by what people genuinely want and need. This philosophy quietly shaped the birth and evolution of lines such as Vero Balance, where the desire for a more conscious way of enjoying dessert blossomed into an entirely new product proposition rather than a simple modification of an existing flavor.
Credibility built through craftsmanship and collaboration
When the conversation turns to awards, certifications, and the recognitions that have strengthened Vero Latte’s credibility, Mariana’s thoughts drift not to trophies, but to the meaningful collaborations that have shaped the brand’s journey. Vero Latte has had the privilege of working alongside premium brands and clients who share its deep appreciation for craftsmanship, aesthetics, and quality.
Among the collaborations that have been particularly significant are names like Tiffany & Co., L’Occitane, and Carla Amorim, as well as customized projects developed for clients in the real estate and lifestyle sectors. These partnerships hold special meaning because they demonstrate that Vero Latte can translate its expertise into highly customized experiences while never losing sight of the brand’s integrity.
Beneath the surface of these collaborations lies an unwavering commitment to excellence. From a quality perspective, the company places strong emphasis on ingredient selection, controlled production processes, food safety, technical supervision, traceability, and consistency. For Mariana Galvao, credibility is not something that arrives in a single moment of recognition; it is built quietly, every single day, through the quality of what Vero Latte delivers. Awards and titles may come and go, but the trust earned through craftsmanship and care is what truly endures.
Milestones that tell a story
One of the most meaningful milestones for Mariana Galvao has been watching Vero Latte evolve from a family-inspired idea into a brand capable of creating experiences for sophisticated names and occasions. A touching example came through Carla Amorim, one of Brazil’s most respected jewelry houses, which had a treasured Christmas dessert recipe passed down from the family’s grandmother. She translated that memory into Vero Latte’s signature dessert-on-a-stick concept, creating exclusive designs for the boutiques. It became a delicate way for Carla Amorim to share a piece of family history with clients, bringing together heritage, craftsmanship, and emotion in both taste and design.
Similarly, the collaboration with Tiffany & Co. saw Vero Latte develop a flavor and visual experience inspired by the brand’s distinctive aesthetic and the launch of its Flowers jewelry line, translating another luxury brand’s identity into something edible while preserving Vero Latte’s essence. That experience reinforced Mariana’s deep belief that food can be a form of design, storytelling, and luxury. She also believes the dessert-on-a-stick concept transformed gelato from something traditionally served in a cup into something highly visual, shareable, and experiential.
A vision for the future
Looking ahead to the next three to five years, Mariana envisions Vero Latte becoming an internationally recognized expression of Brazilian creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of well living from Italy. She plans to continue expanding selectively, entering new markets while carefully protecting the quality and identity that made the brand special in the first place. Innovation will remain central to the strategy, with new formats, experiences, collaborations, and products that respond to evolving expectations around wellness and conscious consumption.
She also sees significant potential in international partnerships with luxury, hospitality, lifestyle, fashion, and design brands. Ultimately, she wants Vero Latte to demonstrate that a Brazilian brand can take something as simple and joyful as gelato and transform it into a global language of pleasure, craftsmanship, and well-being.
Life before vs After the leadership journey
| Before the Leadership Journey | After the Leadership Journey |
| Lawyer | Entrepreneur & Founder |
| Structured career path | Building a family and a business |
| Analytical mindset | CEO & Chef Gelatier |
| Negotiation & strategy | Strategic leadership with creativity |
| Searching for a more creative purpose | Building a purpose-driven brand |
| Learning to take risks | Leading people and partnerships |
| Transitioning from certainty to possibility | Turning challenges into opportunities |
| Constant innovation and global vision | |
| Creating with purpose | |
| From career to calling |
A day in a leader’s life
Mariana’s days are a delicate dance between leadership, creativity, and family, each moment intentionally shaped to honor both her work and her life.
- Early Morning — 5:45 AM: Begins quietly while everyone sleeps, practicing yoga and organizing thoughts and priorities to reconnect with herself and establish the right mindset.
- Workday Start — 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM: After dropping kids at school, she reviews priorities, messages, commercial matters, projects, and decisions, distinguishing urgent from strategic through meetings on business discussions, product development, and operational follow-ups.
- Midday — 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM: Combination of meetings, discussions, and observing ambiences, with food tasting and product evaluation as essential parts of creation.
- Key Work Priorities — 2:00–5:00 PM: Focus shifts between strategy, partnerships, product innovation, commercial opportunities, branding, and leadership, connecting different business areas to ensure alignment with the Vero Latte vision. Living far from the main office, she balances family and business after 3:30 PM when kids arrive.
- Evening — 5:00–9:00 PM: Transitions from business to family life, being present with her daughters and creating time for loved ones as a counterbalance to entrepreneurship.
- Night — 9:00–10:00 PM: Reflects on the day, organizes next morning’s priorities, and disconnects because creativity needs space.
Key takeaways:
- Purpose over profession: True fulfillment comes from aligning your career with what genuinely feeds your soul.
- Quality over growth: Never let the pursuit of expansion dilute the essence and integrity of your brand.
- Courage over certainty: Leadership means making difficult decisions even before you have all the answers.
- Storytelling over selling: People connect with purpose, provenance, and emotion—not just products.
- Listening over assuming: Customer feedback is the most valuable market intelligence a brand can receive.
- Balance over burnout: Presence with family and time to disconnect are essential counterbalances to entrepreneurship.
