Sacla UK
Sacla' UK is the British subsidiary of Italian family-owned food producer F.lli Saclà S.p.A (founded 1939), manufacturing and distributing authentic Italian pesto, pasta sauces, antipasti, and pasta to UK consumers via major supermarkets, DTC e-commerce, and foodservice channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1939
- HeadquartersBeaconsfield, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sacla UK does
Sacla' UK is the United Kingdom operating subsidiary of F.lli Saclà S.p.A, a family-owned Italian food company founded in 1939 in Asti, Piedmont, that produces and distributes authentic Italian food products—primarily pesto, pasta sauces, antipasti, pasta pots, and pasta—under the Sacla' brand across British retail and foodservice channels. The company pioneered bringing authentic Italian pesto to the UK in 1991 and has held the position of 'Nation's Favourite Pesto' for over 30 years. Products are manufactured at the Italian parent's facilities, including a new state-of-the-art plant at Castello d'Annone, using proprietary pasteurization and twist-off jar technology developed since the 1960s, with ongoing R&D through a Creative Laboratory in partnership with Italian universities. The company is a certified B Corporation, reflecting sustainability commitments embedded in its corporate statutes.
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining broad UK retail distribution across all major supermarket chains (Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado, Amazon) with direct-to-consumer e-commerce at sacla.co.uk, plus a B2B foodservice 'Out of Home' vertical serving restaurants, hotels, canteens, and catering operators. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time packaged goods sales priced at £2.00–£4.00 per unit, complemented by a Subscribe & Save subscription program (10% discount, 30/60/90-day cadence), Pick & Mix bulk discounts, curated gift boxes and hampers, and extended portfolio partnerships with Cipriani (premium drinks, pasta, sauces) and Martelli (artisan dry pasta). With 11–50 UK employees headquartered in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, Sacla' UK operates as a privately held, family-controlled entity in its third generation of ownership, with no institutional or private-equity backing identified.
Geographically, the parent group operates regional websites and subsidiaries across the UK, France, Germany, the US, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Iceland, Switzerland, Australia, and the UAE, giving Sacla' a multi-continent footprint anchored by its Italian production base. Recent strategic activity has focused on portfolio extension (vegan SKUs, Arrabbiata variants, pasta pots), capacity expansion (Castello d'Annone plant), and channel diversification (subscription service, foodservice vertical), positioning the company as a mid-sized 'Challenger Brand' within the UK and broader European Italian-food category.
Sacla UK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sacla UK
- Legal name
- Sacla UK Limited
- Website
- https://sacla.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1939
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sacla' UK is the British subsidiary of Italian family-owned food producer F.lli Saclà S.p.A (founded 1939), manufacturing and distributing authentic Italian pesto, pasta sauces, antipasti, and pasta to UK consumers via major supermarkets, DTC e-commerce, and foodservice channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sacla UK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Italian Food Products
- NAICS
- Food Manufacturing (311), Mayonnaise, Dressing, and Other Prepared Sauce Manufacturing (311941), Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing from Purchased Flour (311824)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pesto, Cooking Pastes & Concentrated Flavor Bases Manufacturing (AFAKADAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pasta Manufacturing (dry, fresh, filled) (AFAKABAB), Frozen Entrées & Complete Meals (CRADADAA)
Keywords
Where Sacla UK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beaconsfield
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Sacla UK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Consumer Packaged Goods Sales: One-time product sales across multiple categories including pesto, pasta sauces, antipasti, pasta pots, and Italian food products through e-commerce and retail channels.
- Subscription/Recurring Orders: Subscribe & Save program offering 10% discount on recurring deliveries with 30, 60, or 90-day subscription options. Customers can skip, pause or cancel subscriptions anytime.
- Gift Boxes and Hampers: Pre-curated gift collections including Pesto Gift Box, Intenso Gift Box, Vegetarian Gift Box, Vegan Pesto Gift Box, Arrabbiata Gift Box, and dinner bundles featuring pasta and sauce pairings.
- Out of Home/ Foodservice: Professional format products for chefs, restaurants, hotels, canteens, and catering businesses. Customized formulations and bulk formats for food manufacturers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single unit purchases at standard retail pricing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Pick & Mix bulk discount offer |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscribe & Save 10% discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Multi-pack bundle pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Delivery pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sacla UK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sacla UK manufactures, distributes, and retails authentic Italian food products including pesto, pasta sauces, antipasti, ready-to-eat pasta pots, and artisan pasta. Products are sold through the company's own e-commerce site, major UK supermarkets, online marketplaces, and a dedicated foodservice (Out of Home) channel for hospitality professionals.
Product overview
Sacla UK is an Italian food company (B Corp certified, family-owned, founded 1939) that brings authentic Italian culinary products to the UK market. The product portfolio is organized as a multi-category food range centered around Italian cuisine. Core products include the bestselling Classic Basil Pesto and various pesto varieties (original-pesto product line), pasta sauces including the Intenso range (Tomato & Olive, Tomato & Garlic, Tomato & Mascarpone, Arrabbiata variants) and Alfredo sauces. Supporting categories include Antipasti (char-grilled vegetables, olives, mushrooms, friarielli), Pasta Pots (ready-to-eat convenience products), artisan Pasta (from Martelli and Cipriani producers), and the Cipriani Collection (premium Bellini, Prosecco, pasta, and sauces from Harry's Bar Venice). Additional offerings include gift boxes, dinner bundles, subscription services, and B2B foodservice solutions. Products are primarily sourced from Italian suppliers including F.lli Saclà S.P.A in Asti, Italy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cipriani Collection: A collection of Italian food and drink products including Cipriani Bellini, Prosecco, Spumante Rosé, organic pasta (Spaghetti, Penne), sauces, and passata. Named after the famous Harry's Bar Venice family.
Products and services
- Sacla' Pesto Range Complete range of Italian pesto sauces made with Italian basil, cheeses, pine nuts, and Mediterranean ingredients. Available in 190g jars and 2x45g pots for UK retail and foodservice customers.
- Sacla' Pasta Sauce Range Italian pasta sauces including rich tomato-based Intenso variants, Arrabbiata spicy variants, and creamy Alfredo cheese sauces, designed for UK home cooks and foodservice operators.
- Sacla' Antipasti Range Italian vegetable antipasti preserved in jars, used as starters, pizza toppings, pasta additions, and side dishes by UK consumers and foodservice operators.
- Sacla' Pasta Pots Convenient ready-to-eat pasta pots in four flavours for UK consumers seeking quick meals with minimal preparation.
- Sacla' Italian Pasta (Martelli & Cipriani) Artisan Italian dry pasta from partner producers Martelli and Cipriani, sold through Sacla' UK as part of complete Italian meal solutions.
- Cipriani Collection Premium Italian food and drink products from the Cipriani family of Harry's Bar Venice, distributed in the UK by Sacla'. Includes the iconic Cipriani Bellini cocktail.
- Sacla' Vegan Bolognese Sauce Plant-based bolognese pasta sauce using pea protein as a meat substitute, designed for vegan and plant-based UK consumers.
- Sacla' Gift Boxes and Hampers Curated Italian food gift collections and hampers for special occasions including holidays, birthdays, and corporate gifting by UK consumers.
- Sacla' Subscriptions Recurring subscription delivery service offering 10% discount on pesto and pasta sauce orders with flexible 30, 60, or 90-day delivery schedules for UK consumers.
- Sacla' Out of Home (Foodservice) Professional foodservice range with bulk formats and customised formulations for UK chefs, restaurants, hotels, canteens, catering companies, bars, and travel catering operators.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 30 years as UK's Nation's Favourite Pesto brand
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sacla UK
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sacla UK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Sacla UK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CiprianicoreSacla' distributes the Cipriani Collection including Bellini cocktail, Spumante Rosé, Prosecco DOC, organic pasta, and sauces. The Cipriani family opened Harry's Bar in Venice in 1931 and invented the Bellini cocktail in 1948. This partnership brings premium Italian food and drink products to Sacla's UK customer base.
- Martelli PastacoreSacla' sources artisan Italian pasta from Martelli, a like-minded producer sharing the same philosophy of quality. Products include traditional spaghetti, penne, fusilli, and maccheroni in 500g packages. Partnership enables complete Italian meal solutions.
- DPDminorDPD is used as the logistics partner for UK deliveries, offering flexible delivery options, tracking information, and text message updates. Provides first-time delivery success and customer flexibility.
- Amarelli LiquoriceminorSacla' distributes Amarelli liquorice products including Rossano Spezzata and Black Label Gluten Free varieties. Adds specialty Italian confectionery to the product portfolio.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sacla UK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Napolina: UK-focused Italian food brand offering olive oils, pasta sauces, antipasti, and pesto in major British supermarkets. Closest like-for-like UK challenger in Italian ambient foods.
- Filippo Berio: Italian olive oil and condiment brand with strong UK grocery distribution. Competes in the same authentic-Italian, premium-positioned segment across overlapping retail aisles.
- Barilla: Italian family-owned pasta and sauce giant with deep UK supermarket presence. Competes head-to-head with Sacla' in pasta sauces and pesto, with much larger scale and broader category coverage.
- Giovanni Rana: Italian premium fresh pasta and sauce brand, widely distributed in UK retail. Directly comparable on authenticity positioning, Italian heritage, and overlap with Sacla's pasta/pasta-sauce range.
- Mutti: Premium Italian tomato-based pasta sauce and condiment manufacturer distributed across UK supermarkets. Directly comparable as an authentic Italian sauce brand positioned in the premium tier alongside Sacla's Intenso range.
- De Cecco: Italian premium dry pasta and sauce producer with UK presence. Comparable Italian heritage story and overlapping retail customer base for pasta meals.
Broad incumbents
- Bertolli: Long-established Italian food brand (olive oils, pasta sauces, spreads) with wide UK distribution. Larger, broader-portfolio incumbent that overlaps with Sacla' across sauces and antipasti.
- Cirio: Italian heritage brand producing canned tomatoes, sauces, and passata with UK distribution. Overlaps with Sacla's pasta sauce, passata and antipasti ranges in the ambient Italian aisle.
Emerging players
- Seggiano: UK-distributed artisanal Italian food brand (sauces, pesto, condiments). Smaller-scale niche peer with similar authentic-Italian, premium positioning targeting UK specialty and D2C channels.
Others
- Sacla' (Parent: F.lli Sacla' S.P.A): Italian parent entity operating in 12 countries with own manufacturing. Included as the direct global parent for comparability across the wider Sacla' group footprint beyond the UK subsidiary.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sacla UK social profiles
Digital presenceSacla UK compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Sacla UK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sacla UK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sacla UK subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sacla UK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sacla UK M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sacla UK
What does Sacla UK do?
Sacla UK manufactures, distributes, and retails authentic Italian food products including pesto, pasta sauces, antipasti, ready-to-eat pasta pots, and artisan pasta. Products are sold through the company's own e-commerce site, major UK supermarkets, online marketplaces, and a dedicated foodservice (Out of Home) channel for hospitality professionals.
Is Sacla UK a public or private company?
Sacla UK is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Sacla UK founded?
Sacla UK was founded in 1939. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sacla UK based?
Sacla UK is headquartered in Beaconsfield, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Sacla UK make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Consumer Packaged Goods Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription/Recurring Orders, gift Boxes and Hampers and out of Home/ Foodservice.
Who are Sacla UK's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Napolina, Filippo Berio, Barilla, Giovanni Rana, Mutti and De Cecco. Broad incumbents are Bertolli and Cirio. Seggiano is listed as an emerging player. Sacla' (Parent: F.lli Sacla' S.P.A) is listed as an others.
Does Sacla UK have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sacla UK.
What industry is Sacla UK in?
Sacla UK's product category is Italian Food Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKADAN, Pesto, Cooking Pastes & Concentrated Flavor Bases Manufacturing, with a secondary code of AFAKABAB, Pasta Manufacturing (dry, fresh, filled). Its NAICS code is 311 and its SIC code is 2030.