Messina's Catering & Events

What Messina's Catering & Events does

Messina's Catering & Events is a family-owned full-service food and beverage company founded in 1961 by Andy Messina in Kenner, Louisiana, and now operating across the Greater New Orleans metro under second- and third-generation Messina family ownership. The company is organized across five core service lines: Social & Corporate Catering for weddings, corporate events, galas, and private celebrations; Food & Beverage Management at exclusive venue contracts (Fair Grounds Race Course, Pontchartrain Convention & Civic Center, Alario Center, J Collection Hotels, Clarion Hotel); Festival Management at large events including French Quarter Festival, Jazz Fest (~420,000 attendees annually), and Fried Chicken Festival; a School Lunch Program serving public, private, parochial elementary through high schools; and Gourmet-To-Go, a direct-to-consumer online ordering platform (powered by Lightspeed) for chef-prepared pickup meals.

Underlying operations rest on a physical infrastructure platform that includes three commissaries plus a new 16,000-square-foot Jefferson Parish commissary opened in January 2025, a branded fleet of lift-gate, kitchen, and refrigerated trucks, and an extensive portable cooking equipment inventory (convection ovens, fryers, grills, hot boxes, steam wells, jambalaya kettles, popcorn machines, ice cream freezers, cocktail-on-tap machines, portable bars and tents). The company also operates three owned exclusive event venues — Messina's at the Terminal (historic Art Deco venue at New Orleans Lakefront Airport with capacity up to 750 guests), The MISI at JAX Brewery (expanded November 2025 with the Nouveau River Room to a 500-guest two-floor capacity), and The Rooftop on Basin — plus the Messina's Runway Cafe restaurant in the airport terminal.

Revenue mechanics are primarily professional and managed services billed per event or under exclusive venue F&B contracts, supplemented by per-unit unit pricing for Gourmet-To-Go retail orders (e.g., $45-$130 per 50 pieces, $35-$130 per half pan). Sales are driven by dedicated event planners serving as single points of contact from booking through execution, alongside direct consumer flow through the Gourmet-To-Go e-commerce channel. Marketing combines organic social (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X), content/blog, customer review platforms (The Knot, WeddingWire), industry association involvement (NACE, MPI Gulf States), and earned PR. The firm reports no failed, defaulted, cancelled, or terminated contracts in its history, with all venue contracts renewed at least twice.

Name

Messina's Catering & Events

Legal name

Messina's Inc.

Website

https://messinascatering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Messina's is a family-owned, 60-plus-year-old full-service food and beverage company headquartered in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, offering social and corporate catering, exclusive venue F&B management, festival management, school lunch programs, and direct-to-consumer gourmet meals across Greater New Orleans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catering Services

NAICS

Caterers (722320), Food Service Contractors (72231)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Off-Premise / Mobile Event Catering (THAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate & Business Event Catering (THAHAKAA), Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB), Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant) (HSACAAAH), Catering & Events Food Service (EDALADAC)

Keywords

• Full-service catering
• Event catering
• Festival management
• Venue food service
• Corporate catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Jefferson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Social & Corporate Catering: Off-site catering services for weddings, corporate events, social galas, private residences. Full-service catering includes staffing, setup, execution, and cleanup. Revenue is event-based with pricing per person.
2. Food & Beverage Venue Management: Exclusive F&B management contracts at venues including conference centers, hotels, performing arts centers, and sports venues. Company manages day-to-day operations, brings in own staff, develops custom menus, manages vendors, and purchases supplies.
3. Festival Management: Food and beverage management services for large festivals including French Quarter Festival, Jazz Fest, Fried Chicken Festival. Manages bar operations, staffing, equipment, and guest flow for major events.
4. School Lunch Program: Fresh, nutritious meals prepared daily for schools including elementary to high school, private and public schools. Custom menus meeting nutritional standards.
5. Gourmet-To-Go: Chef-prepared meals for pickup including salads, entrees, sides, desserts. Orders placed online with 4-day advance notice, pickup from Jefferson commissary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Messina's Catering & Events is a family-owned, full-service food and beverage company offering off-premise catering for weddings, corporate events, and social galas; large-scale festival food and beverage management; exclusive venue F&B management contracts; school lunch programs; and a direct-to-consumer Gourmet-To-Go online ordering platform for pickup meals. The company operates from three commissaries plus a new 16,000-square-foot Jefferson Parish facility and runs its own exclusive New Orleans venues: Messina's at the Terminal, The MISI, and The Rooftop on Basin. Pricing is quote-based per-person for catering and unit-priced for Gourmet-To-Go items.

Product overview

Messina's Catering & Events is a family-owned full-service food and beverage company offering a diversified portfolio of products and services. The core offerings include Social & Corporate Catering (weddings, corporate events, social celebrations), Festival Management (large-scale event operations with bar and food management), and Food & Beverage Management (exclusive venue management). The company operates the Gourmet-To-Go online ordering platform for pickup meals and manages three owned exclusive venues: Messina's at the Terminal (historic Art Deco airport venue), The MISI (French Quarter riverfront venue at JAX Brewery), and The Rooftop on Basin (rooftop event space). Additional services include a School Lunch Program and disaster relief feeding operations. The company operates from a 16,000-square-foot commissary in Jefferson Parish and maintains multiple sales offices and commissaries across the New Orleans metro area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Messina's at the Terminal: Historic Art Deco event venue located at New Orleans Lakefront Airport, offering indoor and outdoor event spaces including Grand Atrium, Walnut Room, and The Terrace.
• The MISI by Messina's
• The Rooftop on Basin
• Messina's Runway Cafe
• Gourmet-To-Go

Products and services

• Social & Corporate Catering Full-service off-premise catering for weddings, corporate events, social galas, rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, anniversary parties, office catering, baby showers, graduation parties, birthday parties, Mardi Gras events, and debutante events throughout Greater New Orleans. Includes staffing, setup, execution, and cleanup.
• Festival Management Complete food and beverage management for large-scale festivals including bar operations, staffing, equipment, food preparation, and guest flow management for events such as French Quarter Festival, Jazz Fest, and Fried Chicken Festival.
• Food & Beverage Management Exclusive food and beverage management services for venues including conference centers, hotels, performing arts centers, and sports venues. Manages day-to-day operations including staffing, custom menus, vendor management, and supply purchasing.
• School Lunch Program Fresh, chef-prepared daily meals for schools meeting USDA nutritional guidelines. Provides customized menus for elementary through high school students with options for dietary needs.
• Gourmet-To-Go Online ordering platform for chef-prepared meals available for pickup. Features appetizers, salads, soups, pasta entrees, New Orleans-style entrees, sides, and desserts for family dinners, holidays, office lunches, and small gatherings. Orders placed 4 days in advance; pickup from Jefferson commissary.
• Messina's at the Terminal Historic Art Deco event venue inside New Orleans Lakefront Airport featuring Grand Atrium (up to 750 guests), Walnut Room (30-175 guests), outdoor terrace with Lake Pontchartrain views, and Huey P. Long Meeting Room. Recognized as one of the most beautiful wedding venues in New Orleans.
• The MISI Exclusive venue located on the third floor of the historic JAX Brewery in the French Quarter. Expanded in November 2025 with Nouveau River Room opening on fourth floor, offering 500-guest capacity with multiple private event spaces and riverfront views.
• The Rooftop on Basin Rooftop event venue in New Orleans offering stunning skyline views for weddings, corporate events, and special celebrations. Features multiple event spaces and full catering services.
• Messina's Runway Cafe Restaurant located inside New Orleans Lakefront Airport terminal, open for breakfast and lunch service.
• Nouveau River Room at The MISI Second-floor expansion of The MISI venue at the historic JAX Brewery, adding 500-guest capacity and multiple private event spaces with riverfront views.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best Independent Caterer by CityBusiness Reader Rankings for 10 consecutive years (2016-2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lakeshore Titans BaseballminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 June 2026Title sponsor of Lakeshore Titans baseball team in Crescent City Sports Prep Summer League representing Lakeshore High School in Mandeville.
• Fair Grounds Race CoursecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Messina's named new Fair Grounds Clubhouse Partner for 2025-2026 racing season. Taking over 4th & 5th floor Clubhouse food and beverage program with chef-driven cuisine and warm hospitality. Also serves as exclusive caterer for Louisiana Derby Day with over 900 guests.
• Emeril Lagasse FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 April 2025Participated in annual BBQ Throwdown Weekend in Destin, Florida. Partnership supporting youth through culinary, nutrition, and arts education.
• Glass Half FullminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2025Glass recycling partnership with New Orleans-based organization that recycles glass into sand and gravel for coastal restoration. Part of Messina's sustainability initiatives.
• NOCHI (New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 January 2025Culinary extern partnership hosting students from NOCHI for training. Cameron Williams completed externship under mentorship of Chef Mark Daniels and team.
• J Collection HotelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2024Messina's named exclusive caterer for J Collection Hotels in New Orleans, including Hotel Mazarin, Jung Hotel, and Maison Dupuy. Known for exceptional service and historic charm.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sodexo: Global food service and integrated facilities management company with extensive event, conference, and venue catering operations. Comparable to Messina's at the venue-management and school-lunch contracting layers, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Levy Restaurants: Specialty offshoot of Compass Group focused on sports and entertainment venue food and beverage. Directly comparable to Messina's sports and festival venue management work (e.g., Fair Grounds, Jazz Fest), but as a national incumbent rather than regional specialist.
• Centerplate (Sodexo Live!): National venue food-and-beverage management company operating exclusive contracts at sports venues, convention centers, and performing arts centers. Directly comparable to Messina's venue F&B management segment, but at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Aramark: Global food service and facilities management provider with a sports, entertainment, and conference venue catering business. Overlaps with Messina's exclusive venue F&B management contracts and large-event festival execution capabilities, but as a diversified incumbent.

Direct peers

• The Catering Company of Atlanta: Atlanta-based full-service off-premise caterer focused on weddings, corporate events, and social galas with venue partnerships. Highly comparable business model, target clientele, and event-driven revenue structure to Messina's, operating in a different regional market.
• Abigail Kirsch: New York-based upscale event caterer specializing in weddings, corporate events, and social galas at premium venues. Highly comparable service model, clientele, and venue-exclusive relationships to Messina's, operating in a different but parallel premium metro market.
• CulinArt Group: Compass Group subsidiary providing upscale corporate, social, and institutional catering with off-premise event services. Closely comparable to Messina's full-service catering model for weddings, galas, and corporate functions, though operating across multiple metros.
• A Fare Extraordinaire: Upscale New Orleans-based full-service caterer offering off-premise catering for weddings, corporate events, and social occasions. Operates in the same metro with comparable service model, pricing tier, and venue portfolio, making it the closest local direct competitor.
• Design Cuisine: Washington DC-area full-service catering company serving corporate events, weddings, and galas with on-site execution. Similar premium-tier off-premise catering model with comparable pricing approach and event-planner-led sales motion to Messina's.

Regional players

• Royal Treat Catering: New Orleans-based caterer serving social events, corporate functions, and private parties in the Greater New Orleans area. Directly comparable regional competitor with overlapping client base, though typically smaller-scale event execution than Messina's.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/messinasc
• Facebookfacebook.com/MessinasCatering
• Instagraminstagram.com/messinascateringandevents
• TikToktiktok.com/@messinascatering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/messinas-at-the-terminal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Messina's Catering & Events