Carnevale

Name

Carnevale

Legal name

C. CARNEVALE (UK) LIMITED

Website

https://www.carnevale.co.uk/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carnevale manufacturers, importer and national distributor of fresh & frozen, high-quality, innovative food & drink products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Italian Foodservice Distribution

NAICS

Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991), Meat Processed from Carcasses (311612), Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Dairy Products (2020), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic/International Bulk & Wholesale Grocers (CRAHAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Prepared Meat & Seafood Entrées with Sides (Complete Meals) (AFANAFAI), Cooked & RTE Processed Meats (Roasts, Meatloaf, Sliced RTE) (AFANAEAF), Cold Prepared Foods & Meal Components (Sides, Proteins, Family Meals) (CRAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Italian food distribution
• Foodservice supply
• Mozzarella production
• Fresh pasta manufacturing
• Italian delicatessen wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Food Distribution: Carnevale generates revenue through wholesale distribution of Italian food and drink products to foodservice businesses across the UK. Revenue comes from the sale of ambient, chilled, and frozen Italian food products including cheeses, meats, pasta, bakery items, and drinks. The company operates as both a manufacturer (of mozzarella, fresh pasta, sausages) and a national distributor of imported Italian provisions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Carnevale is a family-run Italian manufacturer, importer, and national distributor of premium food and drink products for the UK foodservice industry. The company produces mozzarella, fresh pasta, and Italian sausages through its own manufacturing sites and distributes over 2,500 ambient, chilled, and frozen Italian food products via its own multi-temperature fleet to restaurants, pizzerias, delis, and hospitality businesses across the UK.

Product overview

Carnevale is a family-run Italian food supplier established in 1966, operating as a manufacturer, importer, and national distributor of premium Italian food and drink products. The company offers an extensive range of over 2500 ambient, chilled, and frozen solutions tailored to foodservice businesses across the UK. The product portfolio centers on their core offerings: Carnevale Mozzarella & Dairy Products (including Valerio's brand cheeses), Passione Pasta (fresh pasta and ready meals), and Salsicciamo (Italian artisan sausages). The company also distributes internationally recognized Italian brands including Barilla, De Cecco, Levoni, Strianese, and Latteria Soresina. Product categories span cheese and dairy, meat products, chilled goods, frozen foods, pasta, bakery and dry store items, drinks, and festive lines. The group has expanded through acquisitions including Windsor Wine & Foods, Pronto Provisions, Belloni Wine Merchants, and J&G Italian Food, and operates charitable initiatives through the Arcobaleno Cancer Trust and Monte Campo charity water brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Passione Pasta: Artisan manufacturer of fresh pasta, sauces, and ready meals using authentic Italian recipes produced daily in London.
• Valerio's
• Salsicciamo
• Monte Campo

Products and services

• Carnevale Mozzarella & Dairy Products Fresh Italian cheeses including mozzarella, ricotta, burrata, stracciatella, fiordilatte, provola/scamorza, and primo sale, crafted daily for UK foodservice requirements.
• Passione Pasta Fresh pasta manufacturer combining Italian tradition with modern food production, creating plain and filled pasta, premium recipes, sauces, and ready meals for the foodservice sector.
• Valerio's Bedford-based family-run Italian food producer of fresh cheeses made daily, including mozzarella, fiordilatte, ricotta, primo sale, burrata, stracciatella, and Italian cured meats.
• Salsicciamo Authentic Italian sausages produced in the UK using traditional Sicilian family recipes with fresh British pork, featuring natural casings, organic Sicilian sea salt, and no additives. Multiple Great Taste Awards and British Sausage Week Gold Award winner.
• Monte Campo Charity water brand whereby 50 pence from every case of glass-bottled water sold is donated directly to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity via the Arcobaleno Cancer Trust.
• Valerio's Veganarella Vegan mozzarella alternative in shredded format made with shea and coconut oil, designed for pizza and other foodservice applications.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• C&C WinescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Partnership with the Carson family to establish C&C Wines for wine distribution services, strengthening the beverage offering across the food and beverage sector.
• Delicatezza.co.ukcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Partnership to bring Italian delicatessen range to the public through an online retail platform. Delicatezza.co.uk serves individual consumers with home delivery, while Carnevale focuses on trade B2B customers.
• SalsicciamocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founded by Giuseppe Roberti, Salsicciamo produces authentic Italian sausages in the UK combining Sicilian family recipes with fresh British pork. Multiple Great Taste Awards and British Sausage Week Gold Award winner.
• Pasta & Pasta London LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partnership to produce award-winning fresh pasta, meals and sauces, later evolving into Passione Pasta brand within the Carnevale group.
• Pronto ProvisionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2005Acquired in 2005, serving Italian delicatessens, snack bars and coffee shops in London.
• Just & Great Fine Italian FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2005Acquired in 2005, a niche wholesale supplier serving Italian food businesses.
• Valerio'scoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Acquired BRC-accredited cheese and cured meat manufacturing site in Bedford and relaunched the brand. Valerio produces fresh mozzarella, ricotta, burrata, and cured meats daily for foodservice requirements.
• Belloni Fine WinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2000Partnership formed with Belloni Fine Wines, established in 1919, based at the London depot for wine distribution.
• Windsor Wine & FoodminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1975Acquired from the Petrassi family in 1975. A business with a respected reputation in fine wine, serving as the foundation for wine import operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Belazu Ingredient Company: UK-based B2B supplier of Italian and Mediterranean specialty ingredients to foodservice and retail. Belazu is the closest direct comparable to Carnevale, operating a similar specialty-Italian importer-distributor model with branded product lines sold through UK trade and retail channels.
• RH Amar: UK-based ethnic and specialty food importer and distributor with a strong Italian portfolio. RH Amar competes head-to-head with Carnevale in the Italian foodservice wholesale segment and shares the same customer base of independent restaurants, delis, and pizzerias.
• La Tua Pasta: UK fresh pasta manufacturer supplying foodservice and retail with authentic Italian pasta and sauces. La Tua Pasta directly mirrors Carnevale's Passione Pasta sub-brand and competes for the same fresh-pasta foodservice customers.

Broad incumbents

• Brakes Group: UK's largest broadline foodservice distributor (part of Sysco), serving restaurants, pubs, hotels, and healthcare across all cuisines. Brakes is a broad incumbent competitor offering one-stop-shop convenience that pressures specialist Italian distributors like Carnevale on price and procurement simplicity.
• Bidfood: Major UK foodservice distributor with national depot coverage and a broad range including Italian categories. Bidfood competes with Carnevale for multi-site restaurant group contracts where broadline convenience outweighs specialist authenticity.
• Musgrave Group: UK and Ireland foodservice wholesaler (Musgrave MarketPlace, SuperValu, Centra). Musgrave provides broadline foodservice distribution with an Italian category offering, representing an alternative procurement choice for independent Italian restaurants considering Carnevale.
• Booker: Tesco-owned broadline foodservice and wholesale distributor serving independent caterers, pubs, and restaurants. Booker's scale and Italian category depth (including own-label) create competitive pressure on specialist distributors like Carnevale.

Others

• Mutti: Premium Italian tomato and preserved-vegetable manufacturer whose products Carnevale distributes. Mutti is a supplier-partner that could vertically integrate or shift distribution strategy, materially affecting Carnevale's relationship economics.
• Pasta Garofalo: Heritage Italian dry pasta producer (est. 1789) competing in the same premium pasta category Carnevale distributes through De Cecco and Barilla. A Pasta Garofalo push into UK foodservice could pressure Carnevale's supplier relationships.
• San Pellegrino / Nestlé Waters: Italian premium mineral water and soft drinks brand (part of Nestlé) distributed by Carnevale. While a supply partner rather than direct competitor, San Pellegrino's brand owner could shift UK distribution strategy, disrupting this revenue stream.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries7 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 Carnevale