Lupa Foods

What Lupa Foods does

Lupa Foods is a UK-based B2B food importer and distributor, founded in 1902 and headquartered in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. The company imports and distributes an Italian-rooted but globally-sourced portfolio of more than 600 food products and ingredients to UK food manufacturers, recipe box providers, wholesalers, and retailers. Core categories include pasta (80+ varieties), tomatoes and tomato-based ingredients, oils and vinegars, and pulses, with extended ranges covering bakery, beverages, grains, condiments, dairy, noodles, rice, and preserved vegetables. Its product range is underpinned by an extensive global and domestic sourcing network spanning the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Mexico, and Peru, anchored by a cornerstone supply partnership with Steriltom and Italtom, the largest private tomato processor in Italy.

Operationally, Lupa Foods runs a sales-led B2B go-to-market with direct enterprise relationships, complemented by an interactive product catalogue and a revamped online wholesale shop (shop.lupafoods.com) for smaller B2B buyers. The company is BRCGS Global Standard for Agents & Brokers certified, a SEDEX member for ethical sourcing, holds a Royal Warrant from HM the King, and carries M&S A-List Accredited Supplier status for its Italian tomato range. Pricing is quote-based under multi-year contracts and call-off or spot arrangements, with payment terms typically 30 days from invoice.

Lupa Foods Ltd. is a private limited company registered in England and Wales, operating as part of the Geia Group conglomerate. It is led by CEO Manish Mandavia and Technical Director Claire Lindsay, with a direct UK headcount of approximately 33 employees and a supply chain supporting around 20,000 workers across suppliers. No venture capital or public market funding is evident; revenue is not disclosed.

Name

Lupa Foods

Legal name

Lupa Foods Ltd.

Website

https://lupafoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lupa Foods is a UK-based B2B food importer and distributor, founded in 1902, supplying over 600 ingredients — primarily Italian-rooted pasta, tomatoes, oils, and pulses — sourced globally to UK food manufacturers, recipe box providers, wholesalers, and retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Ingredient Distribution

NAICS

Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Other Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (42459)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & International Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Ethnic Grocery Wholesale (AFAIABAJ), Specialty Imported Foods Wholesale (AFAIAIAH), Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution (CRAOABAK)

Keywords

• Food ingredient distribution
• Italian food imports
• B2B food supply
• Wholesale food distribution
• Pasta and tomato supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Borehamwood

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Food Import and Distribution: B2B distribution of food ingredients and products to UK food manufacturers, recipe box companies, wholesalers, and retailers. Revenue generated through product sales with comprehensive service offerings including procurement, logistics, and technical support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lupa Foods is a UK-based B2B importer and distributor of food ingredients, offering over 600 products across pasta, tomatoes, oils, vinegars, pulses, and other categories. The company provides comprehensive services including new product development, technical support, procurement, and logistics to UK food manufacturers, recipe box providers, wholesalers, and retailers. Products are sourced globally from the UK, EU, Mexico, Peru, and other regions.

Product overview

Lupa Foods is a UK-based B2B food importer and distributor offering over 600 food products and ingredients. The portfolio spans across multiple core product categories including Pasta (80+ varieties including gluten-free, egg, and standard formats), Oils & Vinegars (sourced from Spain and Italy), Pulses (canned, dried, and IQF beans and lentils), and Tomatoes (cherry, passata, paste, crushed, sauces, and specialty varieties). The company operates through an interactive Product Catalogue platform and an Online Wholesale Shop for bulk ordering. Additional product categories include bakery items, beverages, citrus, condiments, dairy, grains, meat and fish, noodles, preserved vegetables, rice, and seasonings. Services encompass new product development, technical support, procurement, and logistics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pasta

Quantifiable outcome

• Royal Warrant recognition from HM the King for supplying to the Royal household

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Geia GroupcoreOthersParent company ownership. Lupa Foods is part of the Geia Group, providing corporate structure and potential synergies across food industry operations.
• Steriltom and ItaltomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCornerstone supplier partnership with the largest private tomato processing group in Italy. Steriltom has been operating since 1934, processing over 470,000 tonnes of fresh tomatoes annually from Northern Italy. Partnership guarantees unrivalled traceability, authenticity, and heritage for authentic Italian products in the UK market. Products include Long Tomatoes, Datterino (Baby Roma) Tomatoes, and Cherry Tomatoes. Partners have M&S A-List Accredited Supplier status through Lupa Foods.
• SEDEXsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) platform used to collect information from suppliers relating to ethical and corporate responsibility practices as part of due diligence procedures.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hider Food Imports: UK-based B2B food importer and distributor of ambient grocery products. Closely comparable to Lupa Foods in customer base (UK food manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers), product mix (pulses, grains, oils, dried fruit), and B2B distribution model.
• Diverse Fine Foods: UK importer and distributor of ambient specialty foods (Italian and Mediterranean) into retail and food service. Directly comparable to Lupa on category mix, customer segments, and scale.
• Cannon & Cannon: UK B2B importer of specialty foods with strong Italian and Mediterranean exposure, serving chefs, food service, and retailers. Comparable to Lupa on product mix, provenance-led positioning, and wholesale distribution model.
• Cotswold Fayre: UK specialty food distributor supplying independent retailers and food service with ambient grocery and ingredient products. Comparable to Lupa on product breadth, B2B distribution, and supplier curation role.
• RH Amar: Established UK food importer and distributor of branded and own-label ambient products to major retailers. Comparable to Lupa on UK-centric distribution, multi-category ambient range, and B2B customer mix.
• Eurostar Commodities: UK importer and supplier of rice, grains, pulses, seeds, and dried fruits to food manufacturers and wholesalers. Highly comparable to Lupa on commodity ingredient distribution, sourcing footprint, and manufacturer customer segment.
• KG Foods (Italian and Continental Foods): UK-based importer and distributor specializing in Italian and continental European food products, serving retail and food service. Directly comparable to Lupa on Italian heritage, product mix, and UK distribution model.
• Adolpho Bonzon & Co (Mediterranean Food Wholesale): UK wholesale importer of Mediterranean and Italian ambient foods to the foodservice and wholesale trade. Comparable to Lupa on Mediterranean sourcing focus, B2B food service channel, and product categories.

Broad incumbents

• Princes Group: Large UK-headquartered international food and drink group with a broad portfolio spanning ambient grocery, beverages, and ingredients. Comparable to Lupa at the category level (tomatoes, oils, pulses) but operates at materially greater scale and across a wider product portfolio.
• Bakkavor Group: UK-listed prepared-food manufacturer with substantial ingredient procurement needs. A direct downstream customer analog to Lupa's manufacturer segment, providing a useful comparison for end-market demand dynamics in fresh prepared foods.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lupa-foods

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Lupa Foods