Empire Bespoke Foods
Empire Bespoke Foods is a UK-based importer and B2B distributor of specialty foods, curating 60+ international brands and three owned labels (Mrs Elswood, Thai Taste, Master Cook) across nine categories for retail, wholesale, and foodservice trade customers nationwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersNortholt, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Empire Bespoke Foods does
Empire Bespoke Foods Ltd is a UK-based importer and wholesale distributor of specialty food and beverage products, founded in 1997 and continuously owned and led by Chandresh Patel as a family business. Headquartered and operated from a BRC AA-certified warehouse facility at Northolt Industrial Estate in West London (with 40,000 kWh of solar generation), the company curates a portfolio of more than 60 international brands across nine product categories (World Foods, Condiments/Sauces/BBQ, Store Cupboard, Bakery, Snacking, Spreads & Baking, Chocolate & Confectionery, Drinks, and Seasonal), sourcing from over 20 countries and listing 609 SKUs on its trade platform. The company owns and develops three sub-brands — Mrs Elswood (the UK's Number 1 gherkin/pickled vegetable brand), Thai Taste (Thai cuisine), and Master Cook (Japanese and Korean cuisine) — alongside a private label development service that covers ideation, global sourcing, product development, and pack design for retail partners.
The business operates a sales-led B2B go-to-market model serving UK retailers (major multiples and independents), wholesalers, and foodservice operators. Trade customers register via an online form, are activated by a sales team, and then transact through a proprietary B2B ordering platform that integrates Global Payments for secure checkout and provides live 24/7 stock availability across all ranges. Distribution combines an own-fleet delivery service within the London M25 area with third-party carriers covering UK mainland, Scottish Highlands, Ireland, Isle of Wight, and other islands, with a stated growing European distribution capability. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; all new accounts operate on a pro-forma basis with optional credit terms after activation, and minimum order values apply (£500 UK mainland, £200 M25, £900 Scottish Highlands, £1,000 Ireland/IoW).
Revenue is generated from product sales across the distributed brand portfolio and owned brands, supplemented by private label development fees and category insight services. The technology stack is centred on a full-scale Odoo ERP system (implemented April 2026 via Aarav Solutions) covering CRM, sales, procurement, inventory, warehouse operations, HR, and workflows, intended to support multi-country expansion and act as a foundation for AI-driven automation. Marketing is multi-channel via seasonal catalogues (2026 Product Catalogue, Christmas Pre-Order, Ethnic Range), a content blog with buyer guides, email newsletters, organic social, and event sponsorships (notably Thai Festival 2026). The company holds BRC AA, SEDEX, and Soil Association organic certifications, signalling compliance depth required by major UK retail customers.
Empire Bespoke Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Empire Bespoke Foods
- Legal name
- Empire Bespoke Foods Ltd
- Website
- https://empirebespokefoods.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Empire Bespoke Foods is a UK-based importer and B2B distributor of specialty foods, curating 60+ international brands and three owned labels (Mrs Elswood, Thai Taste, Master Cook) across nine categories for retail, wholesale, and foodservice trade customers nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Empire Bespoke Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Food Distribution
- NAICS
- Food Manufacturing (311)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ethnic Groceries & Shelf-Stable Foods Wholesale (AFAIAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution (CRAOABAK), International Specialty Ingredients & Import Markets (CRAHAFAL)
Keywords
Where Empire Bespoke Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northolt
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Empire Bespoke Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Food & Beverage Distribution: Empire Bespoke Foods generates revenue by importing, distributing, and selling specialty food and beverage products from international brands to UK retail, wholesale, and foodservice customers. Revenue is derived from product sales with pricing available only to registered trade accounts.
- Private Label Solutions: The company develops and supplies private label food and drink products for retail partners, covering ideation, global sourcing, product development, and pack design across categories including gherkins, pickles, ferments, world foods, artisan ingredients, seasonal gifting, condiments, sauces, BBQ, and snacking.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Trade Account Pricing — Pro-Forma Default |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Empire Bespoke Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Empire Bespoke Foods imports, warehouses, and distributes a curated portfolio of more than 60 international specialty food and drink brands (and three owned brands — Mrs Elswood, Thai Taste, Master Cook) across nine categories to UK retail, wholesale, and foodservice trade customers. The company also develops end-to-end private label food and drink solutions for retail partners, covering ideation, global sourcing, product development, and pack design.
Product overview
Empire Bespoke Foods is a UK-based importer and distributor of speciality foods operating a multi-brand portfolio of approximately 609 products across nine categories (World Foods, Condiments/Sauces/BBQ, Store Cupboard, Bakery, Snacking, Spreads/Baking, Drinks, Chocolate/Confectionery, and Christmas), sourced from over 20 countries. The company distributes three owned brands — Mrs Elswood (the UK's #1 gherkin/pickled vegetable brand), Thai Taste (Thai cuisine), and Master Cook (Japanese and Korean cuisine) — alongside more than 60 third-party international brands. It also offers a Private Label development service for retail partners, covering end-to-end product development from global sourcing through to pack design. Its online B2B e-commerce platform enables trade customers to browse the full product catalogue, place orders, make secure payments via Global Payments, check live 24/7 stock availability, access exclusive online promotions, and manage account features including favourites lists.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mrs Elswood: The UK's Number 1 pickled cucumber/gherkin brand, including gherkins, kimchi, cornichons and mixed vegetables
- Thai Taste
- Master Cook
- Bespoke Foods
Products and services
- Mrs Elswood The UK's Number 1 pickled cucumber (gherkin) brand owned by Empire Bespoke Foods, offering a wide range of pickled vegetables including burger gherkins, dill spears, sandwich slices, sweet gherkins, kimchi, cornichons, and crunchy vegetables for retail and foodservice customers.
- Thai Taste Authentic Thai food brand owned by Empire Bespoke Foods, providing Thai curry pastes, meal kits, sauces, rice, and noodles for retail and foodservice customers seeking genuine Thai flavours.
- Master Cook
Companies that use Empire Bespoke Foods
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Empire Bespoke Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Empire Bespoke Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Aarav SolutionscoreEmpire Bespoke Foods selected Aarav Solutions as its strategic partner to implement a full-scale Odoo ERP system covering CRM, sales, procurement, inventory, warehouse operations, HR, and workflows on a single integrated platform. The implementation is intended to support EBF's growth ambitions including multi-country expansion, improved operational efficiencies, and enhanced supply chain visibility, and establishes a foundation for AI-driven automation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Empire Bespoke Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Euro Food Brands: UK importer and distributor of Mediterranean and continental European specialty foods. Similar multi-brand import/distribution model serving UK retail and foodservice with comparable scale.
- East End Foods: UK importer and distributor of Asian and world foods, serving wholesale, retail, and foodservice channels. Comparable size and specialty food focus with overlapping supplier and customer relationships to Empire Bespoke Foods.
- KTC (Edibles) Ltd: UK importer, manufacturer, and distributor of edible oils and ethnic foods with both own-brand (KTC) and distributed ranges. Comparable scale and B2B specialty food model with overlapping Indian and world food categories.
- Tropical Sun Foods: UK-based importer and distributor of specialist ethnic foods serving retail and foodservice. Directly comparable as a specialty food wholesaler focused on international and world foods categories with similar B2B trade account model.
- Cotswold Fayre: UK-based specialty food wholesaler distributing premium and international brands to independent retailers, delis, and farm shops. Directly comparable in B2B specialty food distribution model, brand curation approach, and customer segment focus.
- Worldwide Food Imports: UK-based importer and distributor of authentic world foods serving retail multiples and foodservice. Comparable product portfolio spanning international cuisines with similar B2B trade customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Premier Foods: UK-listed major ambient food manufacturer with broad portfolio including Sharwood's, Mr Kipling, and Ambrosia. Comparable through its ethnic/specialty food offerings but operates at vastly larger scale across multiple categories.
- Tilda Rice: Major UK rice and specialty grain brand operating in Indian/world food categories with established UK multiple listings. Comparable through overlapping world food positioning, but as a much larger branded player rather than a multi-brand distributor.
- AB World Foods (Patak's): Part of Associated British Foods and owner of Patak's, Blue Dragon, and Levi Roots brands. Significantly larger broadline ethnic food player with national listing positions across UK multiples; offers overlapping world food capabilities as part of a much wider portfolio.
Regional players
- Anglia Crown: UK foodservice-only distributor of prepared meals and plated desserts to hospitals, care homes, and caterers. Comparable in scale and UK distribution focus, but specialised in foodservice contract manufacturing rather than ethnic retail distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Empire Bespoke Foods social profiles
Digital presenceEmpire Bespoke Foods compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Empire Bespoke Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Empire Bespoke Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Empire Bespoke Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Empire Bespoke Foods 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 Empire Bespoke Foods
What does Empire Bespoke Foods do?
Empire Bespoke Foods imports, warehouses, and distributes a curated portfolio of more than 60 international specialty food and drink brands (and three owned brands — Mrs Elswood, Thai Taste, Master Cook) across nine categories to UK retail, wholesale, and foodservice trade customers. The company also develops end-to-end private label food and drink solutions for retail partners, covering ideation, global sourcing, product development, and pack design.
Is Empire Bespoke Foods a public or private company?
Empire Bespoke Foods is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Empire Bespoke Foods founded?
Empire Bespoke Foods was founded in 1997. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Empire Bespoke Foods based?
Empire Bespoke Foods is headquartered in Northolt, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Empire Bespoke Foods make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Food & Beverage Distribution is the primary driver. The others are private Label Solutions.
Who are Empire Bespoke Foods's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Euro Food Brands, East End Foods, KTC (Edibles) Ltd, Tropical Sun Foods, Cotswold Fayre and Worldwide Food Imports. Broad incumbents are Premier Foods, Tilda Rice and AB World Foods (Patak's). Anglia Crown is listed as a regional player.
Does Empire Bespoke Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for Empire Bespoke Foods.
What industry is Empire Bespoke Foods in?
Empire Bespoke Foods's product category is Specialty Food Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAIAA, Ethnic Groceries & Shelf-Stable Foods Wholesale, with a secondary code of CRAOABAK, Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution. Its NAICS code is 311 and its SIC code is 5141.