Spica invented the Cornetto ice-cream cone in Italy in 1959.
Spica was an Italian ice-cream company based in Naples. Its key innovation was separating the wafer from the ice cream with a coating of oil, sugar, and chocolate. This barrier helped keep the cone crisp instead of allowing moisture from the frozen filling to soften it quickly.
The product later became internationally associated with the Wall’s brand, although Wall’s did not invent the original Cornetto. Unilever acquired Spica and expanded distribution, turning the cone into a widely recognized packaged ice cream in many countries.
The name Cornetto means “little horn” in Italian, describing the cone’s shape. Different markets have used different branding and recipe variations, but the historical origin is generally attributed to Spica’s 1959 product. This is why the inventor question has a company answer rather than a person’s name.