Belazu Ingredient Company

What Belazu Ingredient Company does

Belazu Ingredient Company, trading legally as The Fresh Olive Company Ltd, is a UK-based specialist importer, manufacturer, and distributor of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food ingredients founded in 1991. Its product portfolio spans premium olive oils and vinegars (Early Harvest EVOO, 1.34 Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Gran Reserva Sherry Vinegar), signature spice pastes (Rose Harissa, Smoked Chilli Harissa, Ve-Du-Ya vegan 'Nduja), the Flavour Hacks convenience range, pestos, tahini, smoked paprika, saffron, pulses, and snack mixes. Approximately 76% of products are manufactured in-house at a BRC-accredited facility in West London, with the balance sourced through long-standing Mediterranean supplier relationships emphasizing traditional methods (hand-mixed olives, slow-smoked paprika, hand-plucked saffron).

The business operates four distinct revenue channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via belazu.com (UK mainland delivery, free over £50); UK foodservice supply to hotels and restaurants via a dedicated trade sales team and trade.belazu.com; food manufacturer ingredient supply since 2002 to major UK retailers including M&S, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, ASDA, Co-op, and Morrison's; and international export through distributors in 35+ countries with multilingual packaging. Belazu is a B-Corp (2018), a Living Wage Employer, ISO 45001:2018 certified, and Investors in People accredited, and operates as a subsidiary of the family-owned William Jackson Food Group. The Belazu Foundation, established in 2003, receives 3% of annual profits and supports food and education projects in Morocco and the UK, including longstanding partnerships with the Zakoura Foundation, School Food Matters, and Chefs in Schools.

Name

Belazu Ingredient Company

Legal name

The Fresh Olive Company Ltd

Website

https://belazu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Belazu Ingredient Company is a UK-based specialist importer and manufacturer of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients founded in 1991, supplying premium oils, vinegars, pastes, and spices to foodservice operators, food manufacturers, UK retailers, and home cooks across 35+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Ingredients

NAICS

Mayonnaise, Dressing, and Other Prepared Sauce Manufacturing (311941), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Pesto, Cooking Pastes & Concentrated Flavor Bases Manufacturing (AFAKADAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ethnic Spices, Herbs & Seasonings Wholesale (AFAIAIAF), Salad Dressings & Vinaigrettes Manufacturing (AFAKADAC), International Specialty Ingredients & Import Markets (CRAHAFAL)

Keywords

• Mediterranean food ingredients
• Specialty cooking oils
• Artisan spice pastes
• Foodservice ingredient supply
• Premium condiments

Headquarters

HQ city

Middlesex

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. B2C E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through belazu.com. Consumers purchase ingredients for home cooking with home delivery across UK mainland.
2. Foodservice B2B Sales: Supply to hotels, restaurants, and hospitality operators across the UK. Dedicated trade account management with phone, email and online ordering.
3. Export/International Sales: Ingredients sold through international distributors in 35+ countries. Export team manages international relationships.
4. Food Manufacturing Supply: Supply ingredients to food manufacturers for use as ingredients in ready-to-eat foods, baked goods, sandwiches, salads, ready meals, soups and sauces.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Belazu Ingredient Company imports, manufactures, and distributes premium Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food ingredients, including olive oils, balsamic and sherry vinegars, pestos, harissa and spice pastes, tahini, smoked paprika, saffron, jarred pulses, and snack mixes. Approximately 76% of products are manufactured in-house at a BRC-accredited facility in West London. The company serves UK foodservice operators, food manufacturers, major retailers, international distributors across 35+ countries, and home cooks via its own consumer e-commerce store.

Product overview

Belazu Ingredient Company is a specialist importer and supplier of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food ingredients founded in 1991, operating both direct-to-consumer retail (via belazu.com) and B2B trade channels. The product portfolio centers on chef-grade ingredients including olive oils and vinegars (Early Harvest EVOO, 1.34 Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Gran Reserva Sherry Vinegar), signature spice pastes (Rose Harissa, Smoked Chilli Harissa), the Flavour Hacks convenience range (Roasted Garlic, Caramelised Onion, Green Chilli, Balsamic Sun-Dried Tomato), pestos (Traditional Genovese, Wild Mushroom, Truffle & Artichoke, Vegan Basil), tahini, premium spices (Spanish smoked paprika, Category 1 saffron), pulses (Gordo Chickpeas, Judion Butter Beans, Pardina Lentils), and snack mixes. The company also supplies ingredients to food manufacturers and foodservice operators, and exports to over 35 countries. Notable products include Ve-Du-Ya (vegan 'Nduja) and condiments like Pomegranate Molasses. Belazu is B-Corp certified and part of the William Jackson Food Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rose Harissa Signature Belazu spice paste with slow-burning chilli heat balanced with sweet smokiness; bestseller used by chefs and home cooks as a versatile condiment and cooking ingredient.
• 1.34 Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Premium balsamic vinegar of Modena produced at 1.34 density, suitable for professional kitchens and home cooks; featured in chef endorsements including Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons.
• Early Harvest EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) Premium extra virgin olive oil produced from early harvest olives, available in formats for drizzling and cooking, supplied to home cooks and professional kitchens.
• Flavour Hacks Range Range of convenience cooking pastes including Roasted Garlic, Caramelised Onion, Green Chilli, and Balsamic Sun-Dried Tomato, designed to deliver bold flavours instantly without chopping or cooking for time-pressed home cooks.
• Tahini Slow-roasted and double-ground sesame tahini with silky smooth texture, glossy shine, and nutty flavour, used as a Middle Eastern cooking and finishing ingredient.
• Traditional Genovese Pesto Classic Italian pesto produced in small batches with fresh Italian-grown basil (not polytunnel), aged Parmigiano Reggiano, and pine kernels.
• Smoked Chilli Harissa Award-winning variation of Rose Harissa made with chipotle chilli, balsamic vinegar, cayenne, and cumin, offering smoky-sweet aromatic flavour for marinades, dressings, and finishing.
• Ve-Du-Ya (Vegan 'Nduja) Vegan 'Nduja paste made from fermented Calabrian chillies, co-developed with Pizza Pilgrims to channel the classic flavour of traditional 'nduja for vegans and vegetarians.
• Smoked Paprika (Sweet and Hot) Spanish smoked paprika produced using traditional methods where peppers are hand-turned over 15 days of smoking; available in Sweet (Ñora peppers) and Hot (Jeromin peppers) varieties.
• Category 1 Saffron Highest-grade saffron filaments traditionally harvested in Castilla-La Mancha, with strands plucked by hand from crocus flowers using tweezers.
• Gran Reserva Sherry Vinegar Premium sherry vinegar aged to perfection, featured in Belazu recipes such as Duck and Watermelon Salad for dressings and finishing.
• Pomegranate Molasses Concentrated pomegranate syrup used in dressings and marinades, featured in recipes such as Duck and Watermelon Salad.
• Snack Mixes Hand-roasted and seasoned blends of cashews, almonds, and giant corn available in Rosemary, Smoked Chilli, Rose Harissa, and Truffle & Pecorino flavours.
• Jarred Pulses (Gordo Especial Chickpeas, Judion Butter Beans, Pardina Lentils) Premium jarred pulses including Gordo Especial chickpeas, Judion butter beans from Spain, and Pardina lentils, gently cooked to preserve texture and ready to eat straight from the jar.
• Food Manufacturing Ingredients Supply B2B supply service delivering pestos, pastes, olives, antipasti, grains, vinegars, and oils to food manufacturers in the UK and Ireland since 2002, for use as ingredients in ready-to-eat foods ultimately sold through major UK retailers.
• Foodservice Ingredients Supply B2B supply of olives, snacks, antipasti, cooking pastes, grains, oils, and vinegars to UK hospitality industry from fast-casual chains to fine dining hotels, supported by a dedicated trade sales team and trade website.
• Export Ingredients Supply Export service delivering Belazu ingredients to delis, wholesalers, shops, restaurants, hotels, and bars across 35+ countries, with multilingual packaging (including Chinese and Arabic) managed by a dedicated export team.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3% of profits donated annually to Belazu Foundation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Zakoura FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Longest-standing partner since 2003, funding 15 school programmes in Morocco impacting over 1,400 women and children through preschools, teacher training and community education. Over 3 million dirhams (£235,000) donated.
• Pizza PilgrimscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Pizza Pilgrims to develop Ve-Du-Ya, a vegan 'Nduja paste made from fermented Calabrian chillies. Originally created for Pizza Pilgrims, the product is now available for retail consumers.
• Chefs in SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting the Chefs in Schools charity since 2019, funding their School-by-School programme in 12 schools and training chefs through the Chef Educator Programme.
• School Food MatterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting since 2017 with Fresh Enterprise programme inspiring 120 children annually about food careers, and Holiday Fun and Food Club providing nearly 5,000 lunches.
• William Jackson Food GroupcoreOthersBelazu is part of the family-owned William Jackson Food Group, connecting the business with shared values around good food and ethical business practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Steenbergs: UK-based specialist in organic spices, herbs, and baking ingredients. Comparable to Belazu in supplying premium chef- and home-cook-grade specialty ingredients with a focus on provenance and quality.
• Brindisa: UK-based importer and retailer of Spanish and Mediterranean ingredients, supplying delis, restaurants, and home cooks. Closely matches Belazu's combination of food service supply, B2C retail, and authentic Mediterranean sourcing.
• Sacla': Italian pesto and sauce brand with significant UK retail presence. Directly comparable to Belazu's pesto and paste core, both targeting premium grocery and foodservice customers in the UK.
• Cooks & Co: UK-based specialist in Mediterranean and antipasti ingredients (olives, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, pulses). Directly overlaps Belazu's antipasti, pulse, and Mediterranean jarred ranges in retail and foodservice.
• Bart Ingredients: UK-based herb, spice, and cooking sauce brand founded in the 1960s. Directly comparable to Belazu as a UK specialist in premium Mediterranean-adjacent ingredients sold through supermarkets and foodservice.
• Olives Et Al: UK-based premium olive and antipasti specialist supplying delis, farm shops, and supermarkets. Comparable to Belazu's antipasti and olive categories within the UK specialty food market.

Broad incumbents

• Filippo Berio: One of the largest Italian olive oil brands sold globally through retail and foodservice. A broad incumbent in olive oil — one of Belazu's core categories — competing for the same retail shelf space with greater marketing scale.
• Hellmann's: Unilever's global mayonnaise and dressing brand, dominant in UK grocery and foodservice. A broad incumbent in dressings, sauces, and condiments — categories where Belazu's pestos and pastes compete for shelf and usage occasions.
• Colman's: Unilever-owned UK condiments and sauce brand (mustards, sauces, recipe mixes). Broad incumbent in the UK condiments category that overlaps Belazu's cooking paste and sauce offerings in major grocery channels.
• Mizkan: Global vinegar and sauce manufacturer (including Italian balsamic and sherry vinegars under Acetum and other brands). A broad incumbent in the vinegar category, where Belazu's 1.34 Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and Gran Reserva Sherry Vinegar compete.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Belazu_Co
• Facebookfacebook.com/BelazuIngredientCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/belazu-ingredient-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/belazu_co
• TikToktiktok.com/@belazu_co

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Belazu Ingredient Company