Purple Onion Catering

What Purple Onion Catering does

Purple Onion Catering Co. is a privately-held, woman-owned full-service off-site catering company headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, operating since 1990 across the Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland (DMV) market. The company designs, prepares, and serves customized food, décor, and event-coordination services at client-selected venues — including wineries, historic estates, ballrooms, hotels, and outdoor spaces — without operating its own retail storefront. Its core service lines are wedding catering (the primary segment, including ceremony receptions, rehearsal dinners, cocktail hours, and wedding menus), corporate event catering (breakfasts, lunch drop-offs, meetings, cocktail receptions, dinner parties), and social event catering (birthdays, anniversaries, holiday parties, galas, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, retirement and memorial events). A related sub-brand, The Little Shallot, layers additional catering sales and executive sous chef services onto the operation.

The business operates on a professional-services revenue model: pricing is quote-based and determined by event size, menu selection, service requirements, and venue logistics, with no publicly disclosed price list. Acquisition channels include the company website, phone outreach, prominent directory listings on The Knot and WeddingWire, venue partner referrals across a 95+ venue partner network, and word-of-mouth. The company employs in-house event designers who conduct personal consultations and coordinate customized menus, décor, rentals, and on-site service staff, including an on-site event captain. Operations are supported by a professional kitchen, Level 1 Certified Green Caterer status from the Green Restaurant Association (achieved June 2022), and a sustainability program featuring a No Waste Chef initiative and responsible sourcing.

Ownership transitioned from founders Margot and David Jones to Paige Carney on August 1, 2022; Paige Carney had previously served as Senior Event Designer and later General Manager. The company has won consecutive Knot Best of Weddings, WeddingWire Couples Choice, Washingtonian Best Vendor, and CATIE industry awards, and holds memberships in ISES, ICA, NACE, and multiple regional chambers of commerce. No institutional funding, venture capital, or parent company affiliations are disclosed.

Name

Purple Onion Catering

Legal name

Purple Onion Catering Co.

Website

https://purpleonioncatering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Purple Onion Catering Co. is a woman-owned, full-service off-site caterer headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, serving weddings, corporate events, and social celebrations across the Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland market since 1990. It delivers custom menus, event design, and on-site service through 95+ venue partnerships under a quote-based pricing model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Catering Services

NAICS

Caterers (72232), Caterers (722320), Food Service Contractors (72231)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise) (HSACAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB), Corporate & Office Catering (THAFAIAA)

Keywords

• Off-site catering services
• Wedding catering
• Corporate event catering
• Custom menu planning
• Event design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Catering Services: Full-service off-site catering for weddings, corporate events, and social celebrations. Services include custom menu creation, food preparation, event design, décor coordination, and on-site service staff.
2. Custom Menu Sales: Customized menu planning and food service for events ranging from intimate dinners to large-scale events with 1000+ guests.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Purple Onion Catering Co. is a full-service off-site catering and event design company operating in the Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland (DMV) area. It provides custom menu creation, food preparation, décor coordination, and on-site service staff for weddings, corporate functions, and private social celebrations, delivered at client-selected venues through a network of 95+ venue partners.

Product overview

Purple Onion Catering Co. is a catering and event planning company offering a unified suite of services centered on custom catering for weddings, corporate events, and social celebrations in the Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area. The core offerings include wedding catering services with full menu customization and event design, corporate event catering for business functions, and social event catering for private celebrations. The company operates through a network of 95+ venue partnerships and provides seasonal/holiday menu packages including holiday catering, workplace catering, and specialty menus. A related sub-brand called The Little Shallot offers additional catering services. All offerings are delivered with a sustainability focus, with the company maintaining Level 1 Green Caterer certification through the Green Restaurant Association.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wedding Catering Services
• Corporate Event Catering
• Social Event Catering
• Seasonal and Holiday Catering Menus
• The Little Shallot

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered important, minor and moderate.

• Green Restaurant AssociationimportantOthers · 1 June 2022Purple Onion Catering achieved Level 1 Certified Green Catering status through the Green Restaurant Association, demonstrating commitment to sustainability, responsible sourcing, and environmental consciousness.
• Tysons Regional Chamber of CommerceminorOthersCorporate membership supporting the local business community in Tysons, Virginia area.
• Greater Reston Chamber of CommerceminorOthersCorporate membership supporting the local business community in Reston, Virginia area.
• Vienna Business AssociationminorOthersCorporate membership supporting the local business community in Vienna, Virginia where headquarters is located.
• Northern Virginia Chamber of CommerceminorOthersCorporate membership supporting the broader Northern Virginia business community.
• International Special Events Society (ISES)moderateOthersProfessional industry membership organization for the events and catering industry.
• International Caterers Association (ICA)moderateOthersProfessional industry association for catering professionals, through which Purple Onion has won multiple CATIE Awards.
• National Association for Catering and Events (NACE)moderateOthersProfessional association for catering and event professionals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ridgewells Catering: Long-established DMV-area full-service off-premise caterer serving weddings, corporate, and social events; competes directly with Purple Onion for the same venue partners and enterprise clients across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
• Occasions Caterers: Washington D.C. based full-service off-premise caterer offering weddings, corporate events, and social celebrations with custom menus and event design; directly comparable service model and regional footprint.
• Susan Gage Catering: DMV-area off-premise caterer focused on weddings, corporate, and social events with custom menu design and full-service event execution; comparable scale, customer segments, and service offering to Purple Onion.
• Design Cuisine: Washington D.C. based full-service catering company serving weddings, corporate, and social events; competes with Purple Onion in the DMV off-premise catering segment for similar venue and client relationships.
• Main Event Caterers: Maryland-based full-service caterer specializing in weddings, corporate, and special events across the DMV; comparable off-premise service model with overlapping venue partnerships and customer base.
• Well Done Catering: Washington D.C. catering company providing off-premise services for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations; directly comparable service offerings and regional customer overlap.
• Feastivities: DMV-area catering company serving weddings and corporate events with custom menus and full event coordination; comparable service portfolio and regional competition to Purple Onion.

Broad incumbents

• Aramark: Global food services and facilities management giant that operates catering and event services at scale, including at corporate venues and institutions; broader incumbent that overlaps with Purple Onion's corporate catering segment through large contract wins.
• Sodexo Live!: Division of Sodexo focused on event catering at venues, convention centers, and corporate clients; represents a much larger incumbent competing for high-end event catering contracts in the same geographies Purple Onion serves.

Emerging players

• Fooda: Technology-enabled corporate catering platform that brings rotating local restaurants to workplaces; competes primarily in Purple Onion's recurring corporate breakfast/lunch segment through lower-friction, lower-priced service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PurpleOnionDC
• Facebookfacebook.com/purpleonioncateringco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Purple Onion Catering