Caterite
Caterite is a Cumbria-based B2B foodservice distributor founded in 1969, supplying fresh, chilled, frozen, and ambient food to 2,000+ HoReCa customers across the North of England and Southwest Scotland, now operating as a subsidiary of METRO AG.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersCockermouth, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Caterite does
Caterite Food & Wineservice is a UK-based B2B foodservice distributor founded in 1969, headquartered in Cockermouth, Cumbria, and operating from a single depot that supplies fresh, chilled, frozen, and ambient food products alongside non-food supplies to the HoReCa sector across the North of England and Southwest Scotland. The company serves 2,000+ customers spanning fine dining and Michelin-starred restaurants, hotels, education facilities, and care homes, with over 50% of revenue derived from fresh products sourced through direct relationships with 80+ UK produce growers and 40+ Cumbrian farms, enabling sub-24-hour field-to-customer delivery. Its assortment includes more than 1,750 grocery SKUs, an on-site award-winning butchery, a 100+ SKU own-brand range, and exclusive UK distribution for METRO Chef, plus partnerships with Valrhona, NOROHY, TRUEfoods, Grapevine Wineservice, Lovingly Artisan, and Creedy Carver.
The core commercial stack is a Magento-based B2B e-commerce platform at caterite.co.uk featuring live stock availability, Scandit SDK-powered mobile barcode scanning, 6-month order history with one-click reorder, downloadable CSV allergen data, account-specific credit terms, and shopping list management. Revenue is generated through transactional sales with no minimum order for business accounts (target ~£75 average order value) and a £50 minimum for personal accounts; new business customers begin on cash-on-delivery until credit vetting is completed. Following METRO AG's acquisition in August 2024, Caterite operates as a subsidiary within METRO's Food Service Distribution business, retaining its regional depot and brand while gaining access to METRO's procurement scale, the METRO Chef global brand, and a strategic mandate to support METRO's target of 33% FSD share of total sales by 2030. Managing Director Lorcan Byrne continues to lead the business.
Caterite firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Caterite
- Legal name
- Caterite Foodservice
- Website
- https://caterite.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Caterite is a Cumbria-based B2B foodservice distributor founded in 1969, supplying fresh, chilled, frozen, and ambient food to 2,000+ HoReCa customers across the North of England and Southwest Scotland, now operating as a subsidiary of METRO AG.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Caterite industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Foodservice Distribution
- NAICS
- Special Food Services (7223), Food Service Contractors (722310)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Catering Logistics & Delivery Management (HSACAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Foodservice Packaging & Takeout Containers Wholesale (AFAIALAE)
Keywords
Where Caterite is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cockermouth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Caterite business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Foodservice Distribution: Caterite generates revenue by distributing food and drink products to the HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants, Caterers) sector. The company serves over 2,000 customers and generated £44 million in revenue in 2023. Revenue comes from the sale of fresh, chilled, frozen, and dry food ingredients along with non-food supplies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Business Account - No minimum order |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Personal Account - £50 minimum |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Caterite product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Caterite is a UK-based foodservice distributor that supplies fresh, chilled, frozen, and dry food ingredients as well as non-food products to the HoReCa sector (hotels, restaurants, and caterers) across the North of England and Southwest Scotland. Operating from a purpose-built depot in Cumbria, the business provides next-day delivery from field-to-customer in 24 hours via a fleet of refrigerated vehicles, supported by an e-commerce ordering platform featuring live stock information and barcode scanning.
Product overview
Caterite is a foodservice distribution company serving the HoReCa sector (Hotels, Restaurants, Caterers). The offering is centered around a comprehensive product portfolio spanning multiple categories including Bakery, Grocery, Meat & Poultry (with their own award-winning butchery), Frozen, Chilled, Fresh Produce, Freshly Prepared, Drinks, and Non-Food. Their own brand offerings include METRO Chef (premium professional gastronomy brand), Caterite Own Brand Range (100+ products), while they also distribute partner brands including Valrhona chocolate, NOROHY vanilla products, TRUEfoods fresh stocks, and Grapevine wine services. Products are sourced from over 80 UK produce growers and 40+ Cumbrian farms, with delivery from field to customer in under 24 hours for fresh items. The company was acquired by METRO in August 2024.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- METRO Chef: Globally available, premium brand meticulously crafted for professional gastronomy, ensuring top quality food products with a wide and inspiring assortment and guarantee of freshness.
Products and services
- Caterite Own Brand Range Private-label product range across multiple categories available to hospitality and catering customers as part of the Caterite assortment.
- METRO Chef Premium Brand METRO's premium gastronomy brand distributed to UK HoReCa customers via Caterite following the METRO AG acquisition, offering premium ingredients for chef-led menus.
- Valrhona Premium Chocolate Range Premium professional chocolate products distributed to UK HoReCa customers as part of Caterite's premium brand assortment.
- NOROHY Vanilla Range Premium vanilla products distributed to UK HoReCa customers as part of Caterite's premium brand assortment for pastry and dessert applications.
- TRUEfoods Professional Range Professional cooking sauce and ingredient products distributed to UK HoReCa customers as part of Caterite's premium brand assortment.
- Grapevine Wine Services Wine distribution service supplying a range of wines to hospitality and catering customers.
- Fresh Produce Supply Service Fresh fruit and vegetable supply service delivering directly from growers to HoReCa customers within 24 hours via refrigerated fleet.
- In-House Butchery Meat & Poultry Service In-house butchery service preparing portion-controlled meat and poultry products for hospitality and catering customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50%+ of business is fresh products with sub-24-hour field-to-customer delivery
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Caterite
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Caterite technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Caterite partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- METROcoreMETRO acquired Caterite Food & Wineservice in August 2024 as part of its strategy to expand UK food service distribution. The acquisition aims to increase METRO's FSD share of total sales to 33% by 2030. Caterite continues to operate from its Cumbria base while integrating into METRO's distribution network.
- ValrhonaflagshipPartnership with the world's finest chocolate supplier providing privileged access to Valrhona's chocolate expertise and dedicated support. The partnership offers more than just distribution - it provides access to world-renowned chocolate expertise and creative boundary-pushing for exceptional culinary experiences.
- NOROHYflagshipExclusive partnership for organic and conventional vanilla products from Madagascar, Mexico, and Tahiti. NOROHY provides Caterite customers access to premium vanilla ingredients including organic vanilla beans, extracts, and pastes.
- ClimatePartnercoreCaterite has partnered with ClimatePartner to help identify sustainability targets, initiatives, and solutions for operating more environmentally and sustainably. This supports the company's role in preservation of the Lake District landscape.
- Grapevine WineservicecoreCaterite offers Grapevine Wineservice as a specialist division for wine supply to the hospitality industry. Grapevine has been sharing passion for wine for over 25 years, sourcing wines direct from over 140 suppliers across the globe.
- Lovingly ArtisancorePartnership with award-winning sourdough bakery near Kendal on the edge of the Lake District. Lovingly Artisan supplies artisan breads to Caterite customers, complementing the local and specialty food focus.
- Creedy CarvercorePartnership with Devon-based poultry farm specializing in free-range duck. Creedy Carver ducks are delivered fresh to Caterite and salt-aged in controlled environment to enhance flavour before sale.
- TRUEfoodscoreTRUEfoods crafts fresh stocks using traditional culinary methods, 100% British-sourced bones, filtered spring water, and carefully selected vegetables from trusted UK growers. Distributed exclusively through Caterite.
- METRO ChefflagshipMETRO Chef is a globally available premium brand, meticulously crafted for professional gastronomy. The range includes extra virgin olive oil, passata, frozen fruits and vegetables, desserts, and more - sold exclusively through Caterite as the UK distributor.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Caterite competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Tennent's Wholesale (C&C Group): Scottish and Northern Ireland wholesale arm of C&C Group covering bars, hotels, restaurants, and caterers. Comparable regional foodservice and drinks distribution model, with partial overlap into Caterite's Scottish service territory.
Broad incumbents
- Sysco Great Britain: Global foodservice distribution leader with UK operations including Henderson and other brands. Comparable broad-line HoReCa supplier model and parent-level strategic dynamic to Caterite inside METRO AG's FSD business.
- Makro UK (METRO sister brand): Cash-and-carry/wholesale sister brand of METRO AG serving UK caterers and independent HoReCa. Comparable product breadth and customer segment to Caterite, but a different delivery and channel model (cash-and-carry vs direct delivery).
Direct peers
- Bidfood UK: One of the largest UK foodservice distributors serving the HoReCa sector with multi-depot national coverage. Directly comparable to Caterite on customer segment (restaurants, hotels, caterers, education, care homes) and B2B broad-line distribution model, but at materially greater scale.
- Country Choice: UK food service and retail supply specialist serving hospitality, leisure, and convenience customers. Comparable to Caterite as a mid-market B2B foodservice supplier with similar segment mix and own-label/grocery broadline focus.
- Philip Dennis Foodservice: Regional UK foodservice distributor focused on the South West of England with strong fresh-produce and own-brand positions. Closely comparable to Caterite on regional foodservice distribution, local sourcing, and HoReCa customer profile.
- JJ Foodservice: UK foodservice wholesaler operating multi-depot distribution to HoReCa and convenience retailers. Comparable to Caterite on B2B broad-line distribution model and digital/e-commerce ordering focus, with similar fresh-produce and own-label ambitions.
- Brakes Group: Major UK foodservice wholesaler supplying fresh, frozen, chilled, and ambient ingredients to caterers, pubs, restaurants, and care homes. The closest large-scale direct competitor to Caterite on breadth of range, customer mix, and fresh-produce specialism.
- Dunns Food and Drinks: Independent regional foodservice and drinks wholesaler in the North of England covering the North East, Yorkshire, and into Scotland. Highly comparable to Caterite on regional foodservice distribution footprint, HoReCa customer mix, and drinks/own-label categories.
- Henderson Foodservice (part of Sysco): Northern Ireland and Ireland foodservice distributor acquired by Sysco; supplies HoReCa with fresh, frozen, and ambient lines. Comparable regional foodservice distribution model and customer base to Caterite, with similar multi-category range.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Caterite social profiles
Digital presenceCaterite financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Caterite leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Caterite funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Caterite M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Caterite
What does Caterite do?
Caterite is a UK-based foodservice distributor that supplies fresh, chilled, frozen, and dry food ingredients as well as non-food products to the HoReCa sector (hotels, restaurants, and caterers) across the North of England and Southwest Scotland. Operating from a purpose-built depot in Cumbria, the business provides next-day delivery from field-to-customer in 24 hours via a fleet of refrigerated vehicles, supported by an e-commerce ordering platform featuring live stock information and barcode scanning.
Is Caterite a public or private company?
Caterite is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Caterite founded?
Caterite was founded in 1969. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Caterite based?
Caterite is headquartered in Cockermouth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Caterite make money?
One revenue line is on record: foodservice Distribution.
Who are Caterite's main competitors?
Tennent's Wholesale (C&C Group) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Sysco Great Britain and Makro UK (METRO sister brand). Direct peers are Bidfood UK, Country Choice, Philip Dennis Foodservice, JJ Foodservice, Brakes Group, Dunns Food and Drinks and Henderson Foodservice (part of Sysco).
Does Caterite have an API?
No public API is recorded for Caterite.
What industry is Caterite in?
Caterite's product category is Foodservice Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAGAK, Catering Logistics & Delivery Management, with a secondary code of AFAIALAE, Foodservice Packaging & Takeout Containers Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 7223 and its SIC code is 5140.