Artisanal gelato is now a global product, in which Europe has always played the lead role. Indeed, gelato parlours can be found in 76 countries, on all continents, but Europe is well ahead of the pack. The European countries with the most gelato parlours and highest consumption of artisanal gelato are Italy, Germany, Spain and Poland, but figures are rising in others, such as Austria, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Distribution is also increasingly widespread in Eastern European markets.