Jan K. Overweel
Jan K. Overweel is a privately held Canadian specialty food importer and distributor founded in 1953, supplying grocery retailers and food service operators with 422+ cheese, deli, and grocery SKUs across nine proprietary heritage brands and represented international labels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersWoodbridge, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Jan K. Overweel does
Jan K. Overweel Limited (JKO) is a privately held Canadian specialty food importer, producer, and distributor founded in 1953 and headquartered in Woodbridge, Ontario. The company operates a 'one-stop shopping' B2B model, supplying grocery retailers and food service operators with 422+ SKUs organized across three core categories: cheese (263+ products), deli and charcuterie (93 products), and grocery (62 products). JKO distributes nine proprietary heritage brands — EMMA, Casa Italia, Piaceri D'Italia, Duero, Cortina, Cedarvalle, Oak Manor, 1128 Made in Portugal, and Table de Claire Thérèse — alongside represented international brands, sourcing products from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and the United States.
The company's operations span Canada, the US, and Europe with a 200+ employee base and a multi-warehouse footprint including facilities in Woodbridge (headquarters), Toronto, Brampton (ZADI), and Montreal (Laval). Distribution occurs primarily through direct B2B sales to grocery retail chains and food service operators, supplemented by participation in major industry trade shows such as SIAL Canada and the Fancy Food Show in New York. JKO also maintains strategic sourcing and channel partnerships, including Food Valley Italy (sourcing representation in Italy) and Colombo USA (US market distribution).
The business model is sales-led B2B food distribution with quote-based pricing and no publicly disclosed financials. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales of proprietary and represented specialty food brands, with no subscription, licensing, or recurring revenue components. Recent strategic activity has focused on trade policy advocacy (2020 CETA-related testimony at the Canadian House of Commons and WTO Geneva), international sourcing partnerships, and product quality validation (2024 World Championship Cheese Contest first place for Deliziosa Burrata). Leadership consists of President Patrick Pelliccione and VP of National Sales Frank Mastrogiacomo.
Jan K. Overweel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Jan K. Overweel
- Legal name
- Jan K. Overweel Limited
- Website
- https://jkoverweel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Jan K. Overweel is a privately held Canadian specialty food importer and distributor founded in 1953, supplying grocery retailers and food service operators with 422+ cheese, deli, and grocery SKUs across nine proprietary heritage brands and represented international labels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Jan K. Overweel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Food Distribution
- NAICS
- Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447), Food Manufacturing (311)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ethnic & International Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ethnic Groceries & Shelf-Stable Foods Wholesale (AFAIAIAA), Ethnic Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Wholesale (AFAIAIAB), Ethnic Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale (AFAIAIAC), Ethnic & International Foods Distribution (CRAOABAG)
Keywords
Where Jan K. Overweel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Woodbridge
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Jan K. Overweel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Food Product Sales: Sale of specialty food products including cheese, deli meats, and grocery items through proprietary brands (EMMA, Casa Italia, Piaceri D'italia, Duero, Cortina, Cedarvalle, Oak Manor) and represented international brands. Products sourced from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and the US.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Jan K. Overweel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Jan K. Overweel (JKO) imports and distributes specialty food products including cheeses, deli meats, and grocery items sourced from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and the US. The company operates as a 'One-Stop Shopping Experience' for grocery retailers and food service operators, marketing over 422 SKUs under proprietary heritage brands (EMMA, Casa Italia, Piaceri D'Italia, Duero, Cortina, Cedarvalle, Oak Manor, 1128 Made in Portugal, Table de Claire Thérèse, Milano Bakeries) alongside represented international brands.
Product overview
Jan K. Overweel (JKO) is a private Canadian food import and distribution company established in 1953, operating as a 'One-Stop Shopping Experience' provider of specialty foods. The company distributes over 422 products across three main categories: Cheese (263+ products), Deli/Charcuterie (93 products), and Grocery (62 products). JKO's product portfolio consists of proprietary heritage brands including EMMA® (Italian foods and oils), Casa Italia® (Italian deli), Piaceri D'Italia® (premium Italian meats), Duero® (Spanish products), Cortina® (Italian cheese), Oak Manor® (English cheeses), Cedarvalle®, 1128 Made in Portugal™, and Table de Claire Thérèse™ (French cheeses), complemented by represented brands from Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Argentina, France, and other countries. The company sources and produces food locally and throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and the United States.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EMMA: Proprietary heritage brand for Italian food products including olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pasta, gnocchi, tomatoes, and cheese.
- Casa Italia
- Piaceri D'Italia
- Duero
- Cortina
- Cedarvalle
- Oak Manor
- 1128 Made in Portugal
- Table de Claire Thérèse
Products and services
- EMMA®
Companies that use Jan K. Overweel
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Jan K. Overweel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Jan K. Overweel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- International Cheese Council of Canada (ICCC)coreJKO's President Patrick Pelliccione serves as a key member of the International Cheese Council of Canada. In February 2020, he traveled to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland with ICCC to advocate for improved Canadian cheese import regulations under CETA with the EU.
- Food Valley ItalycoreFood Valley Italy serves as JKO/Colombo's representative in Italy, facilitating connections with Italian food producers and suppliers for the North American market.
- Colombo USAcoreColombo USA is a partner/distributor that participates in trade shows with JKO, representing Italian specialty food products in the US market.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Jan K. Overweel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atalanta Corporation: Largest specialty food importer in North America, distributing imported cheeses, deli meats, and gourmet grocery to retailers and foodservice. Closest direct peer given the same Italian/European specialty import model, multi-brand portfolio, and B2B grocery/foodservice customer base as JKO.
- Premium Brands Holdings Corp. Canadian specialty food manufacturer and distributor with a portfolio of branded specialty meat, cheese, and ethnic food businesses serving retail and foodservice. Highly comparable as a Canadian-headquartered specialty food roll-up with both proprietary brands and distribution operations.
- Lassonde Industries: Canadian specialty food company producing and distributing fruit juices, drinks, and specialty ethnic food products (e.g., anticipates, niche grocery brands) across North America. Similar mid-market Canadian platform with branded specialty food portfolio and grocery distribution.
- Euro-Asia Imports Inc. Toronto-based importer and distributor of European specialty foods (cheeses, meats, grocery items) to Canadian grocery retailers. Closely comparable in product mix (European specialty), customer base (Canadian grocery), and scale category to JKO.
Broad incumbents
- Agropur Cooperative: Major Canadian dairy cooperative with cheese, butter, and ingredient operations including specialty and imported dairy products. Comparable in cheese portfolio focus but is a broad dairy incumbent rather than a specialty-only distributor.
- Arla Foods: International dairy cooperative owned by European farmers with strong specialty cheese brands including Castello and Lurpak. Comparable in European cheese heritage and global sourcing approach, though JKO is distribution-led rather than producer-led.
- Saputo Inc. One of the largest dairy processors in the world and Canada's largest cheese manufacturer with extensive import and distribution operations. Overlaps with JKO's cheese and dairy portfolio but at vastly greater scale and with broader geographic reach.
- Lactalis: World's largest dairy company with extensive specialty cheese brands (Galbani, Président, etc.). Overlaps with JKO on Italian and French cheese categories but operates globally with manufacturing-led rather than distribution-led model.
- Sysco Corporation: Largest North American broadline foodservice distributor with growing specialty and imported product ranges. JKO's foodservice segment competes for the same restaurant operator customers but Sysco operates at vastly greater scale with full broadline assortment.
Regional players
- Importations Draco: Québec-based specialty food importer focused on European cheeses and grocery products for the Canadian market. Comparable in European specialty import focus and Quebec/Ontario distribution, but with stronger Quebec regional concentration versus JKO's broader Canadian footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Jan K. Overweel social profiles
Digital presenceJan K. Overweel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Jan K. Overweel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Jan K. Overweel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Jan K. Overweel 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 Jan K. Overweel
What does Jan K. Overweel do?
Jan K. Overweel (JKO) imports and distributes specialty food products including cheeses, deli meats, and grocery items sourced from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and the US. The company operates as a 'One-Stop Shopping Experience' for grocery retailers and food service operators, marketing over 422 SKUs under proprietary heritage brands (EMMA, Casa Italia, Piaceri D'Italia, Duero, Cortina, Cedarvalle, Oak Manor, 1128 Made in Portugal, Table de Claire Thérèse, Milano Bakeries) alongside represented international brands.
Is Jan K. Overweel a public or private company?
Jan K. Overweel is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Jan K. Overweel founded?
Jan K. Overweel was founded in 1953. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Jan K. Overweel based?
Jan K. Overweel is headquartered in Woodbridge, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Jan K. Overweel make money?
One revenue line is on record: food Product Sales.
Who are Jan K. Overweel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atalanta Corporation, Premium Brands Holdings Corp., Lassonde Industries and Euro-Asia Imports Inc.. Broad incumbents are Agropur Cooperative, Arla Foods, Saputo Inc., Lactalis and Sysco Corporation. Importations Draco is listed as a regional player.
Does Jan K. Overweel have an API?
No public API is recorded for Jan K. Overweel.
What industry is Jan K. Overweel in?
Jan K. Overweel's product category is Specialty Food Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAAAJ, Ethnic & International Foods Wholesale Distribution, with a secondary code of AFAIAIAA, Ethnic Groceries & Shelf-Stable Foods Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 42447 and its SIC code is 5140.