Atalanta Corporation

What Atalanta Corporation does

Atalanta Corporation is America's largest privately held food importer, founded in 1945 and headquartered at 1 Atalanta Plaza in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Operating as a corporate brand under the Gellert Global Group umbrella (with sister companies Camerican, DeMedici, JF Braun, Tipico, and Finica), Atalanta imports and distributes specialty foods — primarily cheese, charcuterie, and Mediterranean grocery products — sourced from a network spanning 60+ countries and 1,000+ approved manufacturing sites. The portfolio includes 3,000 specialty cheeses from 45 countries and 500 grocery items from 30 countries, and serves U.S. and Canadian retailers, foodservice chains, hotels, cruise lines, and food manufacturers.

The company's product offering is organized around a portfolio of exclusive and proprietary brands. Flagship brands include Big Picture Foods (Regenerative Organic Certified olives, peppers, and capers), Celebrity and Celebrity Goat, IL Villaggio (Italian Pecorino and accompaniments), Del Destino (Mediterranean vegetables and condiments), Royal Mahout (Indian Desi products), Mt. Vikos (Greek PDO Feta), Cracking Good (British grass-fed cheeses), Casa Flores (Spanish Manchego and tapas), Sonoma Cheese/Sonoma Jack (the original Pepper Jack), and Red Apple Cheese (cold-smoked cheese). Atalanta also holds exclusive U.S. distribution rights for marquee imported brands such as Beemster (PDO North Holland Gouda — World Champion Cheese 2026), Cipriani Food, and Snowdonia Cheese Co. In January 2026, the group formed GGG Manufacturing, a value-added conversion division with facilities in Lakewood, NJ, and Almena and Barron, WI, that converts globally sourced materials into shredded, grated, shaved, and smoked cheese formats.

Atalanta's business model is a B2B wholesale import and distribution operation. Revenue is generated through specialty food importing (transaction-based margins on imported goods), brand exclusives (proprietary and licensed brands distributed through foodservice, retail, and club channels), and value-added manufacturing. The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales, participation in major industry trade shows (Summer Fancy Food Show, Winter Fancy Food Show, PLMA, NACS, ACS), and direct distribution through retail grocery, club (notably Costco for Sonoma Cheese), foodservice, and e-commerce storefronts (atalantapremium.com, demedici.com). Pricing is quote-based and B2B, with no public consumer pricing disclosed. The company is third-generation family-owned by the Gellert family and, as of October 2025, operates within a unified $1.7B+ Gellert Global Group organization under Co-CEOs Andy and Tom Gellert.

Name

Atalanta Corporation

Legal name

Atalanta Corporation

Website

https://atalantacorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Atalanta Corporation is America's largest privately held food importer, distributing specialty cheeses, charcuterie, and Mediterranean products from 60+ countries through exclusive and proprietary brands. The company serves U.S. and Canadian retailers, foodservice operators, hotels, cruise lines, and food manufacturers via B2B wholesale, club, and e-commerce channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Importing and Distribution

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Other Food Manufacturing (3119), Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)

akta.pro primary industry

International Specialty Ingredients & Import Markets (CRAHAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional Foodservice Distribution (Education, Healthcare, Government) (CRAOABAM), Convenience side dishes (mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, rice dishes) manufacturing (AFAKAHAI)

Keywords

• Specialty food importing
• Cheese distribution
• Charcuterie imports
• Gourmet grocery distribution
• Mediterranean food products

Headquarters

HQ city

Elizabeth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Specialty Food Importing: Core business importing cheese, charcuterie, and specialty products from around the globe. Imports thousands of unique items from 45 countries including 3,000 specialty cheeses. Serves retailers, distributors, foodservice chains, hotels, cruise lines, and food manufacturers.
2. Brand Exclusives: Proprietary and exclusive brands including Big Picture Foods, Celebrity, Del Destino, IL Villaggio, Royal Mahout, Mt. Vikos, Cracking Good, Casa Flores, Sonoma Cheese, and Red Apple Cheese. Brands distributed through foodservice, retail, and club channels.
3. Value-Added Manufacturing: GGG Manufacturing converts raw materials into finished products tailored for retail, foodservice, and e-commerce customers. Initial focus on cheese conversion including shredded, grated, shaved, and smoked formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Atalanta Corporation is America's leading private food importer, importing and distributing specialty cheeses, charcuterie, and grocery products from 60+ countries to retailers, foodservice operators, hotels, cruise lines, and food manufacturers. The company operates a portfolio of exclusive and proprietary brands (Big Picture Foods, Celebrity, IL Villaggio, Sonoma Cheese, Del Destino, Casa Flores, Royal Mahout, Mt. Vikos, Cracking Good, Red Apple Cheese, Mezze Kitchen) and runs value-added manufacturing (GGG Manufacturing) for cheese conversion and prepared foods.

Product overview

Atalanta Corporation is America's leading private food importer (since 1945) operating as a corporate brand of the Gellert Global Group. The company offers a diversified portfolio of specialty imported foods including frozen private label retail to fresh air-cheeses (3,000 specialty cheeses from 45 countries, 500 grocery items from 30 countries). The product portfolio is organized around multiple owned and exclusive brands spanning cheese (Big Picture Foods, Cracking Good, MT Vikos, Sonoma Cheese, Red Apple Cheese, Celebrity, IL Villaggio, Snowdonia, Beemster), charcuterie (Casa Flores Spanish meats, Fontana Prosciutto di Parma, Muselli, IL Villaggio Speck), Mediterranean grocery items (Del Destino vegetables and condiments, DeMedici olive oils and Italian specialties), Indian products (Royal Mahout), and new offerings (Mezze Kitchen Mediterranean ready-to-serve foods). The company operates alongside sister companies Camerican, DeMedici, JF Braun, Tipico, and Finica under the Gellert Global Group umbrella, with combined annual revenue exceeding $1.7 billion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big Picture Foods: Leader in clean ingredient, Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) movement offering naturally fermented organic olives, peppers, and capers with no fillers or preservatives. Works with small farms committed to regenerative agriculture.
• IL Villaggio
• Del Destino
• Celebrity
• Celebrity Goat
• Royal Mahout
• MT Vikos
• Cracking Good
• Casa Flores
• Sonoma Cheese
• Red Apple Cheese
• Sonoma Jack
• Mezze Kitchen
• Celebrity Specialties
• Celebrity Spreadables
• Snowdonia Cheese Co.

Products and services

• Big Picture Foods Regenerative Organic Certified olives, peppers, and capers — clean ingredient, no fillers or preservatives — sourced from small regenerative farms; for retail and foodservice distribution.
• Cracking Good
• Casa Flores Authentic Spanish Manchego cheeses, artisanal Marcona almonds, and traditional Spanish meats; positioned around tapas tradition. Distributed through retail, foodservice, and e-commerce.
• Mt. Vikos Artisan Greek cheeses and gourmet spreads from mountainside farms, including PDO Feta varieties made with non-GMO sheep and goat milk.
• Sonoma Cheese California classic cheeses, including Sonoma Cheese and Sonoma Jack (the original Pepper Jack, Hot Pepper Jack, Garlic Jack, Habanero Jack). Distributed nationally with strong Costco club channel presence.
• Red Apple Cheese Cold-smoked cheeses crafted with apple and natural hardwood blend, plus diverse smoked and non-smoked varieties including bars, rounds, loaves, wheels, shreds, snack sticks, bread cheese, and artisanal spreads.
• Celebrity Premium goat and sheep cheeses from farms with 125+ years of commitment to healthy herds, plus Celebrity Specialties fresh sheep cheeses and Celebrity Spreadables. Primarily foodservice with some retail distribution.
• Royal Mahout Indian Desi products including paneer, gulab jamun, basmati rice, and ghee; brings authentic Desi flavors to retail and foodservice.
• Del Destino Premium Mediterranean vegetables, condiments, and grains; primarily sold to foodservice operators with retail and club distribution.
• IL Villaggio Authentic Italian-style products including Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Toscano DOP, truffle-infused Pecorino varieties, Calabrese, Grissini breadsticks, and accompaniments like ricotta cakes.
• Mezze Kitchen Mediterranean ready-to-serve foods, including the Spicy Selects Collection of stuffed pepper shooters (e.g., Hot Green Cherry Peppers stuffed with prosciutto-wrapped aged provolone, Sweet Red Peppers filled with Calabrian chili-infused goat cheese) in stand-up resealable pouches.
• DeMedici Italian specialty foods division overseeing premium olive oils, vinegars, rice, grains, mustards, sea salt, spices, and the exclusive Cipriani Food partnership in the United States.
• Cipriani Food (exclusive U.S. distribution) Exclusive U.S. distribution of Cipriani Food products — Virgin Bellini, egg pasta, durum wheat pasta, pasta sauce, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, panettone, gelato, and other Italian specialties.
• Beemster Royaal Grand Cru PDO North Holland Gouda from CONO Kaasmakers, imported exclusively by Atalanta in the U.S. and named World Champion Cheese of 2026 at the World Championship Cheese Contest with 98.68/100 points. Purveyor to the Royal Court of the Netherlands.
• GGG Manufacturing Value-added product manufacturing service: converts globally sourced materials (initially cheese) into shredded, grated, shaved, and smoked formats tailored for retail, foodservice, and e-commerce customers. Sourcing network spans 60+ countries and 1,000+ approved manufacturing sites.
• Atalanta Premium Direct E-commerce Direct-to-consumer online storefront offering premium imported shelf-stable ingredients and culinary inspirations, including Atalanta's brand portfolio.
• Snowdonia Cheese Co. Award-winning Welsh cheese brand (since 2001) including Aged Cheddar 12 Months, Aged Red Leicester, Vintage Cave-Aged Cheddar, Salted Cow Butter, and Port Wine & Sage Derby Cheese.

Quantifiable outcome

• World Champion Cheese 2026 - Beemster Royaal Grand Cru scored 98.68 out of 100 at World Championship Cheese Contest with 3,375 entries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CONO Kaasmakers (Beemster)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Exclusive importer relationship for Beemster cheeses in the United States. Beemster Royaal Grand Cru was named World Champion Cheese 2026 scoring 98.68/100. CONO Kaasmakers cooperative has produced cheese in North Holland since 1901 and is celebrating 125th anniversary in 2026. Additional Beemster varieties including Hatch Pepper Gouda and Smoked Gouda also won Best in Class awards.
• Big Picture FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Acquisition expanding Atalanta's portfolio to meet demand for sustainable and organic products. Big Picture Foods is a leader in the Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) movement offering naturally fermented organic olives, peppers, and capers with no fillers or preservatives.
• Sonoma CreamerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2023Acquisition of cheese assets from Sonoma Creamery including Sonoma Cheese and Sonoma Jack brands dating back to 1931. Sonoma is credited with creating the original Pepper Jack cheese and has grown primarily through Costco.
• Cipriani FoodcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2023Exclusive partnership where De Medici, a division of Atalanta, handles implementation and distribution of Cipriani Food products in the United States. Cipriani Food is a division of the legendary four-generation hospitality family that opened Harry's Bar in Venice in 1931. Products include Virgin Bellini, egg pasta, durum wheat pasta, rice, pasta sauce, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, panettone, and gelato.
• Mariposa DairyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2023Partner for Celebrity goat cheese brand. Mariposa Dairy produces Celebrity's fresh goat cheese products and has expanded into sheep and cow's milk products alongside the Celebrity brand evolution.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KeHE Distributors: Specialty and natural foods distributor serving independent retailers, chain grocery, and foodservice operators across North America. Closest comparable peer given its specialty/natural import focus and similar B2B wholesale model serving retailers and foodservice channels.
• Baldor Specialty Foods: Specialty food importer and distributor headquartered in the Northeast US serving restaurants, retailers, and foodservice with imported cheeses, charcuterie, and gourmet products. Directly comparable business model with importer/wholesaler focus and foodservice/retail customer overlap.
• Gourmet Foods International: Specialty foods importer and distributor focused on cheeses, meats, and gourmet ingredients. Directly comparable as a specialty importer-distributor serving retail and foodservice channels with similar product mix including imported cheeses and charcuterie.
• Pacific Cheese Company: Specialty cheese manufacturer and distributor offering shred, grated, and value-added cheese formats. Closely comparable on the cheese conversion side of Atalanta's GGG Manufacturing business and serves overlapping foodservice and retail customers.
• Masters Gallery Foods: Specialty cheese converter and private-label manufacturer producing shredded, sliced, and snack cheese formats for retail and foodservice. Highly comparable on the cheese conversion manufacturing capabilities that Atalanta's GGG Manufacturing division is building, with similar private-label and branded specialty focus.

Broad incumbents

• United Natural Foods (UNFI): Largest publicly traded natural and specialty foods wholesaler in North America distributing to grocery, club, and natural food retailers. Comparable on the specialty wholesale distribution model but operates at much larger scale and broader portfolio than Atalanta's import focus.
• Saputo Inc. Large global dairy manufacturer with significant US cheese operations including the acquisition of specialty cheese brands. Comparable on the cheese category leadership and US cheese manufacturing/distribution, though Saputo operates at much larger scale across commodity and specialty dairy.
• Sysco Corporation: Largest US foodservice distributor serving restaurants, hotels, healthcare, and education with broad food and beverage portfolio. Comparable on the foodservice distribution side of Atalanta's business, but Sysco offers a much broader portfolio including fresh, frozen, and non-specialty items.
• US Foods Holding Corp: Major US foodservice distributor serving restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality operators nationwide. Comparable foodservice distribution model but at much larger scale and with broader portfolio than Atalanta's specialty import focus.
• Schreiber Foods: Large dairy and food company with significant cheese manufacturing and value-added conversion capabilities. Comparable on the cheese conversion manufacturing side (shredded, sliced, specialty formats) and serves overlapping retail and foodservice customers, though Schreiber is privately held and much larger.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Atalanta Corporation