Primo Foods

What Primo Foods does

Primo Foods is a Canadian food manufacturer, legally Les Aliments Primo Ltée, that operates as a subsidiary of the family-owned Sun-Brite Canning Limited. The company produces a diversified portfolio centered on Italian-cuisine staples — pasta, canned tomatoes, pasta sauces, beans and lentils, tuna, rice, and cooking oils — sold under the Primo, Unico, and Il Migliore brands. Manufacturing is split between a pasta facility in Toronto (56 Huxley Road) with 8 production lines and the only in-house wheat milling operation among Canadian pasta makers, and the Sun-Brite Ruthven complex in southwestern Ontario (140,000 sq ft production plus 300,000 sq ft warehousing) running at 70,000 cases of tomato products per day. Technical differentiation rests on bronze-die pasta extrusion, slow-drying processes, a 720-day tomato shelf life, aseptic processing (since 1991), and a rigorous tomato selection process that supports consistent flavor across the product line.

The company serves three revenue channels: branded retail through Canadian supermarket chains coast-to-coast (Maritimes to Vancouver Island), a dedicated Food Services division supplying bulk-format pasta, tomatoes, sauces, and legumes to restaurants, hotels, healthcare, and educational institutions, and private-label contract manufacturing for major CPG brands Campbell's and Heinz. Primo holds the #1 position in Ontario's food service pasta market and has accumulated 48 Monde Selection gold medals. The firm is privately held by the Iacobelli family — Henry Iacobelli is president and founder of Sun-Brite (1973), with son John Iacobelli as Director of Sales & Logistics — and has grown primarily through a series of acquisitions (Countryside Canners in 1993, Unico in 1997, Primo in 2006) rather than external funding. A bilingual EN/FR website, recipe portal, television advertising, and Toronto FC sponsorship round out the consumer-facing commercial motion. The June 2026 appointment of a Head of People Services & Operations signals an organizational build-out tied to an explicitly stated ongoing expansion phase.

Name

Primo Foods

Legal name

Les Aliments Primo Ltée

Website

https://primofoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Primo Foods is a Canadian food manufacturer, part of the family-owned Sun-Brite Canning Limited, producing pasta, canned tomatoes, sauces, beans, lentils, rice, tuna, and cooking oils under the Primo, Unico, and Il Migliore brands for Canadian retail, food service, and private-label CPG customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pasta and Italian-Style Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033), Grain Mill Products (2040), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Shelf-Stable Pantry Staples (Grains, Pasta, Rice, Beans, Canned Foods) (CRADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Soups, Broths & Meal Starters (CRADAAAF)

Keywords

• Pasta manufacturing
• Tomato products
• Canned legumes
• Food service distribution
• Italian food products

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Branded Retail Products: Primo Foods generates revenue through the sale of branded food products under the Primo and Unico labels to Canadian consumers via supermarket chains across Canada. Products include pasta, tomato products (whole, diced, crushed, paste, sauces), beans, lentils, fish, rice, and cooking oils sold in retail packaging formats.
2. Food Service / Institutional Products: Primo Foods serves the food service sector (restaurants, hotels, healthcare, education) through a dedicated Food Services division. Products are offered in bulk formats designed for institutional preparation, including the Il Migliore premium pasta line comparable to Italian imports. The division is supported by point-of-sale materials, recipes, and sales guides.
3. Private Label / Contract Manufacturing: Primo Foods supplies private-label formulations to major CPG brands Campbell's and Heinz, suggesting contract manufacturing or private-label supply arrangements where the company produces products under the customer's brand.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Primo Foods manufactures and sells pasta, canned tomato products, pasta sauces, canned beans, lentils, rice, canned tuna, and cooking oils under the Primo and Unico brands through Canadian retail supermarkets and a dedicated Food Services division. The company also produces private-label formulations for major CPG brands Campbell's and Heinz. As the only Canadian pasta manufacturer that mills its own wheat, Primo controls the full production chain from grain to finished product at facilities in Toronto and Ruthven, Ontario.

Product overview

Primo Foods is a Canadian food manufacturing company offering a diversified portfolio of food products primarily centered on Italian cuisine. The core product line includes tomatoes and tomato-based products (whole, diced, crushed, sauce, pizza sauce, and pasta sauces), pasta and noodles, beans and lentils, fish (tuna), rice, and cooking oils. The company operates under the parent company Sun-Brite with multiple brands including Primo, Unico, and Il Migliore. Primo serves both retail consumers and the food service industry with dedicated product lines, offering over 50 years of pasta manufacturing experience from its Toronto facility. The product portfolio is organized around complementary Italian food categories that can be used together in meal preparation, from sauces and pastas to legumes and tomatoes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Il Migliore: Premium pasta product line for food service, comparable to Italian imports with superior handling qualities for reheating and steam table holding.

Products and services

• Tomatoes and Sauce A product line featuring whole peeled tomatoes, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, pizza sauce, and various pasta sauces including Original Recipe, Romano & Basilico, Arrabbiata, and Tomato & Basil varieties. Sold to retail consumers via supermarkets and to food service operators in bulk formats.
• Pastas and Noodles A comprehensive line of pasta products made from Canadian amber durum wheat, including short forms (e.g., Penne Rigate) and long forms (e.g., Spaghetti). Manufactured using bronze-die extrusion and a slow drying process. Available for both retail and food service markets under the Primo and Il Migliore brands.
• Beans and Lentils Canned legumes including lentils, chickpeas, and various beans that require no sorting, washing, or pre-soaking and are ready in 20 minutes. Sold to retail consumers and food service operators.
• Fish (Tuna) Canned tuna products including Albacore (white tuna) and light tuna in chunk and flake varieties, with innovative vacuum-packed sachet packaging.
• Rice Rice products available for retail and food service distribution under the Primo brand.
• Cooking Oils Cooking oils for food service and retail markets.
• Food Services Products A dedicated product line for the food service industry including pasta, tomatoes, and legumes in bulk quantities suitable for restaurants, hotels, healthcare, and education sectors. Backed by point-of-sale advertising materials, recipe ideas, and sales guides.
• Il Migliore Premium Pasta Premium quality pasta comparable to Italian imports, made with grade #1 semolina, slow extraction rates for higher protein content, bronze-die extruded for superior texture and flavor, designed specifically for food service operators with handling qualities that optimize holding and retherm performance.
• Primo Ketchup Tomato ketchup product available in the Primo product catalog.
• Marinara Pasta Sauces All-natural pasta sauces with no additives or preservatives, low in calories, fat, and cholesterol, and a good source of dietary fiber and vitamins.
• Rich and Flavorful Pasta Sauces All-natural pasta sauces containing garlic and onion, recognized as beneficial in a healthy diet regimen.
• Bruschetta Toppings Reduced-calorie bruschetta toppings with no fat or cholesterol, an excellent source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Toronto FCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimo Foods was a sponsor of Toronto FC, a Major League Soccer team and the first professional soccer team outside the United States in the league. Primo Foods was listed as an official sponsor, with the sponsorship appearing on the company's website and noting the opening of BMO Field to 20,000 supporters.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Olivieri Foods (Ebro Foods): Olivieri is a Canadian fresh pasta and sauce brand owned by Ebro Foods, competing directly with Primo in pasta and pasta sauce categories across retail and food service in Canada.
• Catelli Foods Corporation: Catelli is one of Canada's largest pasta brands, offering a broad range of dried pasta products across retail and food service channels. Directly competes with Primo in the Canadian pasta category across mass-market and specialty segments.
• Pastificio Lucio Garofalo: Garofalo is a premium Italian pasta brand comparable to Primo's Il Migliore food service line. Both target operators seeking authentic Italian bronze-die extruded pasta for restaurant and institutional use.
• Italpasta Ltd. Italpasta is a Canadian manufacturer and marketer of dry pasta products sold under its own brand and private-label programs. Directly competes with Primo in retail and food service pasta, with overlapping customer bases in Canadian supermarkets and institutional channels.

Broad incumbents

• Barilla Group: Barilla is the world's largest pasta manufacturer and a broad incumbent in Italian packaged foods including sauces. Competes with Primo in the premium Italian pasta category (where Il Migliore is positioned) and has significantly greater scale, geographic reach, and brand investment.
• Del Monte Foods: Del Monte is a large North American producer of canned fruits, vegetables, and beans — directly competing with Primo's canned tomato, bean, and legume portfolio across retail channels.
• Conagra Brands (Hunt's): Conagra's Hunt's brand is a major North American canned tomato and pasta sauce competitor, directly overlapping with Primo's canned tomato and sauce product lines in retail channels.

Emerging players

• Banza: Banza is an emerging North American chickpea-based pasta brand targeting health-conscious consumers. It is a partial competitor in the premium/health-driven pasta niche that Primo's enriched, high-fiber portfolio also addresses.

Others

• Unico (historic brand portfolio): Unico is now part of Primo Foods/Sun-Brite Canning, but historically operated as an independent Canadian Italian-food brand. The merged entity competes across all Unico legacy categories (pasta, oils, legumes, marinades) against current peer brands.

Regional players

• President's Choice / Loblaws Private Label: President's Choice is Loblaws' premium private-label brand offering pasta, canned tomatoes, sauces, and beans that directly compete with Primo's branded retail products on Canadian supermarket shelves.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 Primo Foods