Elephants Delicatessen

What Elephants Delicatessen does

Elephants Delicatessen is a Portland, Oregon-based gourmet food company founded in 1979 that operates a multi-format portfolio anchored by seven retail locations across the Portland metro area. Two distinct store concepts coexist: the full-service Elephants Delicatessen format (dine-in, take-out, delivery, full bars, cheese and charcuterie, gelato, wine and beer) and the quicker-service Flying Elephants cafe format (Fox Tower, South Waterfront, Montgomery Park, World Trade Center). Production is centralized at the Central Kitchen in SE Portland and the Milwaukie Kitchen facility opened in 2023, enabling daily from-scratch preparation of soups, sandwiches, salads, baked goods, and prepared meals.

The company monetizes through four distinct revenue streams: retail transaction revenue across the seven stores; professional-services catering revenue spanning corporate lunch programs, full-service events with servers and bartenders, wedding catering, and pickup/dropoff orders at per-person pricing; transaction-based e-commerce and gift revenue (gourmet gift boxes shipped to all 50 states plus Canada and Mexico, digital and physical gift cards, prepared-meal delivery); and venue-rental plus wholesale revenue from four event venues (Garden Room, Corbett Room, Leftbank Annex at 14,000 sq ft / 933 standing, Montgomery Park with 3,200 sq ft Atrium and 8,000 sq ft Ballroom) and wholesale distribution to New Seasons Market and Williams Sonoma. Customer segments include individual Portland consumers (primary), corporate clients with house-account billing (primary), wedding and event planners (secondary), and 501(c)(3) non-profits running 20%-donation fundraising events (secondary). Pricing is principally unit-based for retail and gift products, per-person for catering, and contract/subscription for full-service events and corporate accounts with monthly billing.

The underlying technology stack is operational rather than differentiated: the Toast Tab platform powers online ordering and the Elephants Rewards loyalty program ($10 reward per $200 spent), Paylocity handles HR/payroll, Everybite provides a static nutritional-information widget, and DoorDash, Caviar, and Grubhub provide third-party delivery from the Corbett location. The company is a Certified B Corporation since 2015, sources from 95%+ local and independent vendors, and has stated a net-zero-by-2030 climate commitment. In June 2025, Henry Hillman became majority owner with stated intent to scale catering, retail, and wholesale partnerships, Martin McClanan was appointed CEO (succeeding founder Anne Weaver, who became Strategic Advisor), and Kyo Koo joined as Director of Production. In March 2026, a fire damaged the flagship NW 22nd Avenue store, temporarily closing that location.

Name

Elephants Delicatessen

Legal name

Elephants Delicatessen

Website

https://elephantsdeli.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Portland-based gourmet food company founded in 1979 operating seven retail deli locations across the metro area, full-service catering, four event venues, wholesale partnerships with New Seasons Market and Williams Sonoma, and national e-commerce for gift boxes and prepared meals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catering & Gourmet Foods

NAICS

Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Prepared Foods & Catering-Focused Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG), Freshly Made Grab-and-Go (Sandwiches, Wraps, Salads) (CRAHAKAA), Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA)

Keywords

• Gourmet deli catering
• Corporate lunch delivery
• Wedding event catering
• Gourmet gift baskets
• Private event venues

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Sales: In-store dining, take-out, and delivery from seven Portland metro locations. Revenue from prepared foods, sandwiches, soups, baked goods, gelato, wine, beer, and specialty grocery items.
2. Catering Services: Full-service catering with on-site staff, bartenders, and event management. Pickup and dropoff catering. Corporate lunch programs. Seasonal menus with per-person pricing.
3. E-commerce Gift Boxes and Prepared Meals: Online shop for gourmet gift baskets shipped nationally. Digital and physical gift cards. Prepared meals delivered locally in Portland metro. Meal totes and cheeseboards.
4. Venue Rental: Private event venues: Garden Room (32-50 capacity), Corbett Room (80-100 capacity), Leftbank Annex (933 capacity), Montgomery Park (480-1000 capacity). Revenue from room rentals and exclusive catering.
5. Wholesale: Wholesale distribution of prepared meals and specialty food products to retail partners including New Seasons Market and Williams Sonoma.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Elephants Delicatessen operates seven retail locations across the Portland, Oregon metro area offering from-scratch prepared foods including soups, sandwiches, salads, baked goods, gelato, and a full bar at select locations. The company provides full-service catering, corporate lunch programs, wedding catering, and pickup/dropoff catering, complemented by four event venues (Garden Room, Corbett Room, Leftbank Annex, Montgomery Park). Additional revenue lines include nationally-shipped gourmet gift boxes, digital and physical gift cards, wholesale distribution to retail partners, and an online ordering platform powered by Toast.

Product overview

Elephants Delicatessen is a Portland, Oregon-based gourmet food company founded in 1979, offering a multi-format portfolio of food products and services. The core business operates seven retail locations under two brands: the full-service Elephants Delicatessen stores featuring dine-in, take-out, delivery, and full bars, and the quicker-service Flying Elephants cafe concept. Complementary offerings include Catering Services (full-service events, corporate lunch programs, wedding catering, and pickup/dropoff options), Gourmet Gift Boxes shipped nationally, Gift Cards (digital and physical), an Elephants Rewards loyalty program, and an extensive wholesale program. The company also operates event venues including the Corbett Room, Garden Room, Leftbank Annex, and Montgomery Park. Food production is centralized at the Central Kitchen in SE Portland and the Milwaukie Kitchen facility. The business operates with a B Corp certification and commitment to net-zero emissions by 2030.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flying Elephants: Smaller, quicker service format locations offering café-style dining, opened at Fox Tower, South Waterfront, Montgomery Park, and World Trade Center
• Elephants Catering & Events
• Elephants Rewards
• Elephants Cares

Products and services

• Elephants Delicatessen Retail Stores Full-service gourmet deli locations offering dine-in, take-out, and delivery of from-scratch soups, sandwiches, salads, prepared meals, baked goods, and a full bar at select locations. Targeted at Portland-area residents seeking gourmet prepared foods and specialty grocery items.
• Flying Elephants Café Locations Smaller, quicker-service café concept located at Fox Tower, South Waterfront, World Trade Center, and Montgomery Park offering cafe-style dining with full grills, wine, beer, cider, and curated menu items. Targeted at downtown professionals, building tenants, and visitors needing faster service.
• Full-Service Catering Full-service catering with on-site staff, bartenders, and event management, including custom menus, complimentary tastings for up to two individuals with signed contract, and multi-year contract options. Targeted at corporate clients, weddings, and private events.
• Corporate Lunch Catering Sack lunches, box lunches, and buffet spreads delivered to offices with per-person pricing, a 16% delivery service charge, and a $40 minimum delivery order. Targeted at corporate clients needing office meal programs and team events.
• Wedding Catering Full-service wedding catering with customizable menus, menu tastings, linens, and coordination with venues, with Elephants acting as preferred caterer at premier Portland-area venues. Targeted at engaged couples and wedding planners.
• Al Fresco & Pickup Catering Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• 45+ years of continuous operation in Portland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New Seasons MarketcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional grocery retailer partnership for wholesale distribution of prepared meals and specialty food products.
• Williams SonomacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational retail partner for shipping Elephants-made prepared meals to customers in contiguous 48 states.
• Leftbank AnnexcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner14,000 sq ft event venue operated by Elephants. Capacity 933 standing. For weddings, conferences, trade shows, corporate meetings, and holiday parties.
• Montgomery ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric venue (National Register of Historic Places, former Montgomery Ward Department Store) with Elephants as exclusive caterer. Atrium (3,200 sq ft, 200-500 capacity) and Ballroom (8,000 sq ft, 280-500 capacity).
• DoorDashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership for local Portland food delivery from Corbett location.
• CaviarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership for local Portland food delivery.
• GrubhubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership for local Portland food delivery.
• Energy Trust of OregonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Strategic Energy Management program helping Elephants achieve energy efficiency goals and net-zero emissions by 2030. Received $18,000 in incentives.
• James Beard Public MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit board partnership - CEO Martin McClanan serves as chair, connecting Elephants to Portland's food community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New Seasons Market: Regional Pacific Northwest specialty grocer operating in the Portland market; comparable as a premium, locally-sourced food retailer. Both companies occupy overlapping premium grocery/prepared-foods niches in the Portland metro, and the partnership creates a wholesale/customer overlap that frames them as adjacent competitors and partners simultaneously.
• Zupan's Markets: Portland-based family-owned specialty grocer offering gourmet, local, and prepared foods; directly comparable to Elephants on premium Portland positioning, from-scratch/prepared offerings, and community-embedded brand identity.
• Market of Choice: Oregon-based independent specialty grocery chain emphasizing local sourcing, prepared foods, and catering; competes with Elephants in the same Portland metro footprint for premium prepared-meals and catering customers.
• Pastini Pastaria: Portland-based casual Italian restaurant group with multiple locations across the metro area; comparable as a local multi-unit casual dining operator competing for similar dine-in and catering occasions.
• Russ & Daughters: Iconic NYC-based gourmet appetizing shop (founded 1914) with national e-commerce for specialty foods and gift boxes; highly comparable as a multi-generational, city-anchored specialty food institution that scaled via catering, wholesale, and gift-box distribution.
• Balducci's: Specialty gourmet food retailer with prepared foods, catering, cheese/charcuterie, and gift baskets; directly comparable business model combining brick-and-mortar retail with catering, gift-box e-commerce, and wholesale.

Broad incumbents

• Whole Foods Market: National premium grocery chain (Amazon-owned) with multiple Portland locations; broader incumbent that overlaps with Elephants on prepared foods, specialty cheese/charcuterie, and gift offerings but at vastly greater scale and with no Portland-centric positioning.
• Trader Joe's: National specialty grocery chain with multiple Portland-area stores; comparable on curated specialty/prepared food assortment and giftable grocery items, though operating at chain scale rather than local artisan positioning.

Others

• Williams Sonoma: National premium housewares and food retailer; partner/distributor for Elephants' prepared-meal nationwide shipping business. Comparable as a premium consumer brand leveraging curation rather than direct overlap on prepared retail food.

Regional players

• Noble Rot Wine Bar: Portland wine bar and small-plates operator with catering arm; adjacent Portland-based foodservice peer competing for similar corporate-event and special-occasion catering budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elephantsdeli
• Facebookfacebook.com/elephants-delicatessen-283598424782
• Instagraminstagram.com/elephantsdeli
• Pinterestpinterest.com/elephantsdeli
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elephants-delicatessen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elephants Delicatessen