Uniontrade

What Uniontrade does

Uniontrade S.p.A. is an Italian B2B importer and distributor of ethnic food, beverage, and non-food kitchen products, headquartered in Peschiera Borromeo (Milan) and operating since 1985 (originally as China Trading, rebranded in January 2006). The company sources over 3,000 SKUs from five continents and serves food service operators (restaurants, sushi bars, hotels, caterers), mass retail and GDO chains, and trend-focused food businesses across Italy through three channels: a B2B e-commerce platform, the Unicash Cash&Carry (over 5,000 sqm, the largest ethnic Cash&Carry in Italy), and nationwide delivery via its own truck fleet plus national couriers, with no minimum order requirement and cold-chain capability.

The business model is wholesale distribution of ethnic food and beverage products at wholesale prices, gated by B2B registration (VAT number and Chamber of Commerce documentation). Revenue is generated purely through product resale — no SaaS, subscription, or fee-based revenue streams are described — augmented by a portfolio of seven proprietary or exclusive brands (Shirakiku, Biyori, Biyori Selezione Chef, Okomesan, Anong, Mikuna, Samrat) spanning Japanese, Thai, Latin American, and Indian cuisines. The company is ISO 9001 certified, has adopted the Italian D.Lgs 231/01 organizational model, and has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Japanese food trading group Wismettac since November 2023.

Technology is conventional: no proprietary platform, no AI/ML capabilities, and no public APIs are documented — the e-commerce storefront is the primary digital asset, supported by downloadable PDF catalogs, a content blog, newsletter, and social media presence. Distribution is physical-asset-heavy, anchored by an 8,500 sqm climate-controlled warehouse and the Unicash retail footprint, which together function as the structural moat for the business.

Name

Uniontrade

Legal name

Uniontrade S.p.A.

Website

https://uniontrade.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Uniontrade S.p.A. is an Italian B2B importer and wholesale distributor of ethnic food, beverage, and non-food products (over 3,000 SKUs from five continents), serving Ho.Re.Ca., retail/GDO, and trend-focused operators in Italy via an e-commerce platform, the Unicash Cash&Carry, and nationwide delivery, and operating since 1985 as a subsidiary of Japan's Wismettac group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ethnic Food Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border / Import-Export Cash & Carry (Ethnic & International Trade) (CRAEAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Membership Wholesale Clubs (B2B & B2B2C) (CRAEAEAB), Retailer & Small-Store Supply (C-Store, Mini-Mart, Independent Retail) (CRAEAEAD), B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms (BPAMAGAD)

Keywords

• Ethnic food distribution
• Wholesale food importer
• Cash and carry wholesale
• Food service supply
• Asian food distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Peschiera

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale distribution of ethnic food products: Uniontrade imports ethnic food, beverages, alcoholic drinks, and non-food kitchen accessories from suppliers worldwide and distributes them to B2B customers (restaurants, retailers, caterers, and ethnic food businesses) across Italy. Revenue is generated through the sale of products at wholesale prices, with no minimum order requirement for deliveries.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Uniontrade imports ethnic food, beverages, alcoholic drinks, and non-food kitchen accessories from suppliers across five continents and distributes them wholesale to B2B customers (restaurants, ethnic food stores, supermarkets, caterers, and wholesalers) throughout Italy. The company operates three sales channels: a B2B e-commerce platform, the Unicash Cash&Carry (the largest ethnic Cash&Carry in Italy at over 5,000 sqm), and direct delivery with no minimum order requirement. The portfolio includes seven proprietary brands covering Japanese, Thai, Latin American, and Indian cuisines.

Product overview

Uniontrade is a food & beverage import and distribution company operating since 1985, offering over 3,000 ethnic food products across three main categories (Food, Non-Food, Beverage) through multiple channels. The company operates the Unicash Cash&Carry retail network (over 5,000 sqm), an e-commerce platform, and downloadable digital catalogues. Its proprietary brand portfolio includes Shirakiku (Japanese products), Biyori and Biyori Selezione Chef (Japanese cuisine for professionals), Okomesan (sushi rice), Anong (Jasmine rice from Thailand), Mikuna (Latin American/Peruvian products), and Samrat (Indian spices). In November 2023, Uniontrade joined the Wismettac group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shirakiku: Japanese food brand founded in Kobe, Japan in 1921. Offers restaurant-quality Japanese and Asian food products available in 65 countries and 2,000 product categories.
• Biyori
• Biyori Selezione Chef
• Okomesan
• Anong
• Mikuna
• Samrat

Products and services

• Unicash Cash & Carry The largest ethnic Cash&Carry in Italy, spanning over 5,000 square meters organized by country of origin. Offers fresh produce, frozen ethnic food departments, and the full Uniontrade assortment of food, beverages, and non-food products. Open six days a week from 8:00 to 18:30 (Saturdays until 18:00). Reserved for VAT-registered business customers with no minimum purchase requirement.
• E-commerce Platform
• Digital Catalogues
• Shirakiku
• Biyori
• Biyori Selezione Chef
• Okomesan Proprietary premium sushi rice brand combining Italian rice varieties (Originario and Selenio grown in Italy) with Japanese processing methods. Available in 5kg vacuum-packed, 20kg, and 1kg formats for Ho.Re.Ca. professionals.
• Anong
• Mikuna
• Samrat

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Metro Italia: Metro Italia is the Italian subsidiary of Metro AG, operating the METRO Cash & Carry format with broad assortment including ethnic and specialty food categories. Comparable as a Cash & Carry operator serving Ho.Re.Ca. and small businesses across Italy, though its assortment is generalist rather than ethnic-specialized like Uniontrade.
• Makro: Makro is an international Cash & Carry operator (part of Metro AG group in several markets) serving B2B customers including restaurants and small retailers with broad food and beverage assortments. Comparable as a Cash & Carry peer serving similar Ho.Re.Ca. customers, though it is generalist rather than ethnic-specialized.
• Daymon Worldwide: Daymon Worldwide is a global private-label and specialty food distribution company operating across multiple countries with a focus on ethnic and emerging food categories. Comparable as a B2B food distributor serving retailers and food service with differentiated and trending product assortments.

Direct peers

• Conserve Italia: Conserve Italia is a major Italian food cooperative representing thousands of agricultural producers, distributing canned, preserved, and packaged food products domestically and internationally. Comparable as an Italian B2B food distributor with broad assortment, multi-channel distribution, and Ho.Re.Ca./retail customer overlap.
• Wismettac: Wismettac is the Japanese food trading and distribution group that acquired Uniontrade in November 2023. It operates ethnic food distribution networks globally and is the most directly comparable peer because it shares the same business model (B2B ethnic food import and distribution) and is now Uniontrade's parent company.
• Distriborg: Distriborg is an Italian distributor of organic, ethnic, and specialty food products serving retail and food service channels with a multi-brand portfolio. Comparable as an Italian B2B specialty food distributor offering differentiated brands to similar retail and Ho.Re.Ca. customer segments.
• Greci Industria Alimentare: Greci is an Italian specialty food manufacturer and distributor focused on ethnic and Mediterranean food products for the Ho.Re.Ca. channel. Comparable as an Italian B2B ethnic food specialist combining proprietary production with distribution to food service customers.
• Cerealitalia: Cerealitalia is an Italian food company specializing in ethnic and specialty grocery products including rice, grains, and packaged foods distributed to Ho.Re.Ca. and retail. Comparable as an Italian ethnic food distributor with branded product lines, overlapping with Uniontrade's Anong, Okomesan, and broader rice/grain category presence.

Emerging players

• Italpo Enterprise: Italpo Enterprise is an Italian-Japanese food specialist founded by Hajime Morimoto, who developed the Okomesan sushi rice brand later acquired by Uniontrade in 2025. Comparable as a niche ethnic food operator with a single-cuisine focus (Italian-Japanese) targeting the same Ho.Re.Ca. customer base.

Regional players

• Selex Gruppo Commerciale: Selex is an Italian retail and wholesale buying group representing independent supermarkets and Ho.Re.Ca. suppliers across Italy. Comparable as a domestic B2B food channel partner that connects ethnic and specialty products with Italian retail and food service operators, though focused on retail buying rather than ethnic specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/uniontradespa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uniontrade-spa
• Instagraminstagram.com/uniontradespa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 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 Uniontrade