European Imports
European Imports, Inc. is a US specialty food importer and distributor offering over 5,000 products (cheese, meat/seafood, pastry, shelf-stable) from 70 countries to retail stores, hotels, restaurants, and caterers, operating as a Sysco subsidiary across five regional warehouse divisions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersArlington Heights, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What European Imports does
European Imports, Inc. is a US-based importer and distributor of specialty food products founded in 1978 in Chicago by Beverly and Seymour Binstein. The company began as a cheese importer and progressively broadened its catalog through a multi-decade acquisition program (1987-2011), adding exotic meats, charcuterie, pastries, chocolates, and shelf-stable specialties. Since March 2012, European Imports has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sysco Corporation, with its catalog now available nationwide through Sysco Companies while retaining five regional warehouse divisions in Arlington Heights (IL, headquarters), Longview (TX), Front Royal (VA), Alachua (FL), and Vernon (CA).
The company offers over 5,000 specialty SKUs sourced from 70 countries across four core categories: cheese (with a 2,000-square-foot cutting and wrapping facility serving both traditional deli and grab-n-go coolers), meat and seafood (500+ exotic and charcuterie items including venison, buffalo, ostrich, and foie gras), pastry, and shelf-stable specialty goods. Proprietary and acquired brand labels include Life in Provence, Amber Valley, Cucina Viva, Chi Bao, Cocina Selecta, Le Village, and Love of Fare. Customer-facing technology consists of a product-searchable website with direct customer login; no proprietary platform, API, or AI-enabled tooling is disclosed.
European Imports monetizes as a B2B specialty food distributor, generating revenue through transactional sales of imported and domestic artisan cheeses, exotic meats, charcuterie, pastries, and shelf-stable goods to retail stores, hotels, white-tablecloth restaurants, and caterers. GTM combines direct enterprise field sales staffed by category specialists (cheese, game, pastry) with distribution through Sysco's national foodservice network following the 2012 acquisition. Pricing is quote-based/wholesale and not publicly disclosed. Marketing channels include monthly email newsletters, color product and holiday catalogs, trade shows, co-op advertising and in-store demonstration programs, and social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube).
European Imports firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- European Imports
- Legal name
- European Imports, Inc.
- Website
- https://eiltd.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- European Imports, Inc. is a US specialty food importer and distributor offering over 5,000 products (cheese, meat/seafood, pastry, shelf-stable) from 70 countries to retail stores, hotels, restaurants, and caterers, operating as a Sysco subsidiary across five regional warehouse divisions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
European Imports industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Food Distribution
- NAICS
- Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (424470)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cheese Wholesale (AFAIAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refrigerated Meat & Charcuterie Wholesale (AFAIAHAI), International Specialty Ingredients & Import Markets (CRAHAFAL), Ethnic/International Bulk & Wholesale Grocers (CRAHAMAE)
Keywords
Where European Imports is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arlington Heights
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
European Imports business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Specialty Food Distribution: European Imports generates revenue as a specialty food distributor, selling imported, artisan, and domestic cheeses along with exotic meats, charcuterie, pastries, chocolates, and shelf-stable goods to retailers and foodservice accounts. The company operates as part of Sysco's distribution network following its 2012 acquisition.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
European Imports product offering
Product offeringCore offering
European Imports imports and distributes specialty food products — imported and domestic artisan cheeses, exotic meats and charcuterie, pastries, and shelf-stable specialty goods — to retailers and foodservice operators across the United States. The company sources from approximately 70 countries and operates a 2,000 square foot cheese-cutting and wrapping facility. Since March 2012, it has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sysco, distributing products through Sysco's national network and its own warehouse network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Products available through Sysco Companies across the US
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use European Imports
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
European Imports technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
European Imports partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
European Imports competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atalanta Corporation: Atalanta is one of the largest US importers and distributors of specialty cheeses, meats, and gourmet foods, with a similar product mix (imported cheese, charcuterie, deli meats) and similar customer base of retailers and foodservice operators. It competes head-to-head with EI for the same deli and foodservice specialty accounts.
- Sid Wainer & Son: Sid Wainer & Son is a New England-based specialty food importer and distributor focused on artisan cheese, charcuterie, pastry, and gourmet foods supplied to retailers, restaurants, and hotels. Overlapping assortment, customer base, and category structure make it a tightly comparable regional peer to European Imports.
- Chefs' Warehouse: Chefs' Warehouse is the most direct comparable — a US specialty foodservice distributor focused on artisan cheese, charcuterie, pastry, and center-of-plate proteins for white-tablecloth restaurants and hotels. Like European Imports, it sells to fine-dining and specialty retail, and it was acquired by Sysco in 2019, placing it as a sister specialty platform alongside EI.
- Baldor Specialty Foods: Baldor is a specialty produce, dairy, and gourmet foods distributor serving restaurants and retailers in the Northeast with a strong specialty cheese and imported goods program. Comparable customer profile (chefs, hotels, white-tablecloth restaurants) and imported specialty focus position it as a direct specialty distribution peer.
Broad incumbents
- KeHE Distributors: KeHE is a major US natural and specialty food distributor supplying independent grocers, natural food stores, and foodservice operators with an extensive specialty assortment. It overlaps with EI's retail specialty channel and competes for shelf space in the imported cheese and gourmet category, though it operates across broader natural/specialty rather than foodservice.
- Sysco Corporation: Sysco is the US's largest broadline foodservice distributor and the parent company of European Imports following the 2012 acquisition. It is comparable as the channel through which EI's products reach national scale and as a broader incumbent with overlapping specialty ambitions (most recently Chefs' Warehouse).
- UNFI Specialty: United Natural Foods (UNFI) is one of the largest North American wholesale distributors of natural, organic, and specialty foods serving retailers and foodservice customers. UNFI Specialty is comparable as a scaled distributor carrying imported and artisan foods into retail and foodservice channels where European Imports also competes.
Emerging players
- Dietz & Watson: Dietz & Watson is a specialty meat and charcuterie producer/distributor with a strong retail deli and foodservice presence, comparable to EI's Meat and Seafood category including its 500+ specialty and exotic items (sausages, pâté, charcuterie). It overlaps on deli counter programs and exotic/specialty meats.
- Boar's Head Provision Co. Boar's Head is a major specialty meat and cheese brand with deep retail deli and foodservice penetration, including imported and domestic cheeses and charcuterie. Comparable as a branded specialty supplier competing for the same deli counter and foodservice cheese/charcuterie dollars as European Imports' assortment.
- Sugar Foods: Sugar Foods is a specialty food company supplying portion-controlled condiments, sweeteners, and gourmet grocery items to foodservice and retail. Comparable as a specialty shelf-stable supplier to the same retail and foodservice accounts EI serves, though with narrower category focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights3 records
Customer concentration
European Imports social profiles
Digital presenceEuropean Imports financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
European Imports leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
European Imports funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
European Imports 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 European Imports
What does European Imports do?
European Imports imports and distributes specialty food products — imported and domestic artisan cheeses, exotic meats and charcuterie, pastries, and shelf-stable specialty goods — to retailers and foodservice operators across the United States. The company sources from approximately 70 countries and operates a 2,000 square foot cheese-cutting and wrapping facility. Since March 2012, it has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sysco, distributing products through Sysco's national network and its own warehouse network.
Is European Imports a public or private company?
European Imports is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was European Imports founded?
European Imports was founded in 1978. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is European Imports based?
European Imports is headquartered in Arlington Heights, United States, in the North America region.
How does European Imports make money?
One revenue line is on record: specialty Food Distribution.
Who are European Imports's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atalanta Corporation, Sid Wainer & Son, Chefs' Warehouse and Baldor Specialty Foods. Broad incumbents are KeHE Distributors, Sysco Corporation and UNFI Specialty. Emerging players are Dietz & Watson, Boar's Head Provision Co. and Sugar Foods.
Does European Imports have an API?
No public API is recorded for European Imports.
What industry is European Imports in?
European Imports's product category is Specialty Food Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAEAC, Cheese Wholesale, with a secondary code of AFAIAHAI, Refrigerated Meat & Charcuterie Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 424430 and its SIC code is 5140.